Methods and systems for management of media content associated with message context on mobile computing devices

ABSTRACT

A system generally includes a lock-screen capable application executing on a recipient computing device configured to facilitate user interface access to a communication function of the recipient computing device while the recipient computing device remains in a locked state. The lock-screen capable application is configured to intercept a communication received by the recipient computing device that is associated with at least one of a communication application or a communication service. The system includes a content association application executing on the recipient computing device to facilitate associating a media content item with the intercepted communication based on a relevance of the media content item with the intercepted communication determined from automatically processing the intercepted communication to identify an association based on metadata descriptive of media content items stored in a library of the media content items.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/469,772 filed on Mar. 27, 2017, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/142,200 filed on Apr. 29, 2016 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,609,124), which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPat. App. No. 62/155,706 filed on May 1, 2015. This application claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/459,742 filed on Feb. 16,2017, and U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/486,495 filed on Apr. 18,2017. This application is a bypass continuation-in-part of InternationalApplication PCT/US2016/30083 filed on Apr. 29, 2016, and published asWO2016/178984. Each of the above-identified applications are herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the field of mobile devices, and moreparticularly to the management of content, such as ring tones and video,that may be played when one user contacts another via a mobile device.

BACKGROUND

The proliferation of mobile devices has enabled a wide range of highlypersonalized social interactions, such as sharing of photos, videos, andmusic, among other types of content. However, the contact function of atypical mobile device is quite generic, typically providing analphabetized list of names, with phone numbers and other basic contactinformation. Calls and texts between users typically identify the user,and may even play a selected ring tone that is selected by the recipientof the call or text to play when a particular individual calls or texts,but the event of a call or text is otherwise un-customized.

Users might create content that could be played upon contact events, butin current systems another user would need to undertake significantinteractions in order for them to be played, and the content would tendto go stale without significant effort on the part of a receiver of acall or text.

A need exists for improved methods and systems for managing the contactsmodules and functions of mobile devices.

SUMMARY

Provided herein are methods and systems for a sender-controlled contactmedia content type (referred to herein in some cases as “SCCMC”) thatcan be sent among mobile devices, including addressing the contactssystems and methods of such devices to provide rich interactions amongusers upon the occurrence of contact events. Such methods and systemsmay occur at the level of the contacts functions of a mobile device,such as being initiated directly upon a contact independent of the needfor an application on the recipient's mobile device. In embodiments, theSCCMC can play, for example, on the lock screen of the recipient'smobile device as an incoming call occurs, or the SCCMC can display on acontact screen when the phone is unlocked and active, including, withoutlimitation, on the home screen of the recipient's mobile device, on ascreen that displays when the recipient is on a phone call and/or whenthe recipient is using an application on the recipient's mobile device.The methods and systems described herein may allow a first user (user A)to create custom photos, videos, ring tones and the like that areplayed, under control of user A, on the mobile device of another user(user B), such as when user A calls or texts user B's device. Forexample, user A may create a video, with associated audio content, anddeliver that content to user B's phone, and have the video and audioplay on user B's phone when user A contacts user B, such as by text orcall. The content may, in a single broadcast act, comprise both voicelayer and data layer content and use, in a coordinated fashion, voicelayer and data layer transmission mediums. Such content is referred toherein as a sender-controlled contact media content item (“SCCMC”) or,in some cases as a “Ving” or a “Vyng.”

Provided herein are methods and systems for providing asender-controlled contact media content data structure that is adaptedto be created using a mobile device of a sender and sent to at least onemobile device of at least one recipient; and a host computing systemincluding at least one server for managing the sender-controlled contactmedia content data structure; wherein the sender-controlled contactmedia data structure is adapted to be displayed via the contactsfunction of the mobile device of a recipient under control of the senderof the sender-controlled contact media content data structure.

Methods and systems are provided herein, including methods and systemsthat include a sender-controlled contact media content data structurethat is adapted to be created using a mobile device of a sender and sentto at least one mobile device of at least one recipient; and a hostcomputing system including at least one server for managing thesender-controlled contact media content data structure; wherein thesender-controlled contact media data structure is adapted to bedisplayed on a screen of a recipient's mobile device when therecipient's device is turned on and able to receive at least one of adata signal and a voice signal, wherein the sender-controlled contactmedia data structure displays content that is under control of thesender of the sender-controlled contact media content data structure.

In embodiments, the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure uses voice layer and data layer transmission mediums in asingle broadcast act by the sender. In embodiments, the screen of therecipient's mobile device is the screen displays upon the occurrence ofa contact event at the recipient's mobile device. In embodiments, thescreen of the recipient's mobile device is the lock screen of therecipient's mobile device. In embodiments, the screen of the recipient'smobile device is the home screen of the recipient's mobile device. Inembodiments, the screen of the recipient's mobile device is an activescreen of the recipient's mobile device that displays when the mobiledevice is unlocked. In embodiments, the screen of the recipient's mobiledevice is a screen that displays while the recipient is on a phone callusing the recipient's mobile device.

The methods and systems disclosed herein may include an installableapplication running on the host computing system for establishing a dataconnection between the mobile device of the sender and the at least onemobile device of the at least one recipient. In embodiments, theinstallable application is configured to allow discovery of peer devicesin proximity to allow an exchange of the sender-controlled contact mediacontent data structure between the mobile device of the sender and theat least one mobile device of the at least one recipient. Inembodiments, the installable application enables a user interface thatallows creation of the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure on the mobile device of the sender.

In embodiments, the host computing system enables downloading of thesender-controlled contact media content data structure on the at leastone mobile device of the at least one recipient.

In embodiments, the mobile device of the sender and the at least onemobile device of the at least one recipient are communicatively coupledto the server, and wherein the server is a content server. Inembodiments, the mobile device of the sender is communicatively coupledto mobile devices of a plurality of recipients, such that each of therecipient devices receives the sender-controlled contact media contentdata structure. In some cases, this is described as a “bomb,” a “Vyngbomb,” or the like.

In embodiments, a plurality of sender-controlled contact media datastructures is organized into a channel, such that at least onerecipient's mobile device plays a series of the sender-controlledcontact media data structures upon a plurality of contact events from atleast one sender. In embodiments, the channel is associated with atleast one of a topic of interest to a sender, a topic of interest to atleast one recipient and a social graph of at least one of a sender andat least one recipient. In embodiments, the sender-controlled contactmedia data structures are selected by the sender from a curated libraryof sender-controlled contact media data structures. In embodiments, thelibrary is curated by an algorithm based on a topic of interestindicated by at least one of the sender and the recipient. Inembodiments, the library is curated by an editor based on the subjectmatter of the channel.

The methods and systems described herein may include methods and systemsfor taking a sender-controlled contact media content data structure thatis created using a mobile device of a sender; providing a host systemthat enables transmission of the sender-controlled contact media contentdata structure from the mobile device of the sender to at least onemobile device of at least one recipient; and causing the display of thesender-controlled contact media content data structure on a screen ofthe at least one mobile device of the at least one recipient when the atleast one recipient's device is turned on and able to receive at leastone of a data signal and a voice signal, wherein the sender-controlledcontact media data structure displays content that is under control ofthe sender of the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure. In embodiments, the sender-controlled contact media contentdata structure uses voice layer and data layer transmission mediums in asingle broadcast act by the sender. In embodiments, the screen of therecipient's mobile device is the screen displays upon the occurrence ofa contact event at the recipient's mobile device. In embodiments, thescreen of the recipient's mobile device is the lock screen of therecipient's mobile device. In embodiments, the screen of the recipient'smobile device is the home screen of the recipient's mobile device. Inembodiments, the screen of the recipient's mobile device is an activescreen of the recipient's mobile device that displays when the mobiledevice is unlocked. In embodiments, the screen of the recipient's mobiledevice is a screen that displays while the recipient is on a phone callusing the recipient's mobile device. In embodiments, thesender-controlled contact media content data structure comprises one ormore of audio, video, contact data, and metadata. In embodiments,sending the sender-controlled contact media content data structurecomprises sending a text message, wherein the text message includes anembedded link to facilitate installation of an application by the atleast one recipient on the at least one mobile device of the at leastone recipient upon tapping of the embedded link by the at least onerecipient, wherein the installable application establishes a dataconnection between the mobile phone of the sender and the mobile phoneof the at least one recipient.

In embodiments, the methods and systems described herein may furtherinclude downloading of the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure on the at least one mobile device of the at least onerecipient using the embedded link, wherein the downloading of thesender-controlled contact media content data structure enablesdisplaying a contact of the sender as being associated with thesender-controlled contact media content data structure on the at leastone mobile device of the at least one recipient.

In embodiments, the methods and systems described herein may furtherinclude initiating a contact by the mobile device of the sender with theat least one mobile device of the at least one recipient such that thesender-controlled contact media content data structure is displayed onthe at least one mobile device of the at least one recipient when thecontact between the mobile device of the sender and the at least onemobile device of the at least one recipient initiates. In embodiments,the contact is initiated between the mobile device of the sender and theat least one mobile device of the at least one recipient when the senderplaces a phone call. In embodiments, the contact is initiated betweenthe mobile device of the sender and the at least one mobile device ofthe at least one recipient when the sender sends a text message to theat least one mobile device of the at least one recipient.

In embodiments, the methods and systems described herein may furtherinclude enabling a user interface on the mobile device of the sender toallow creation of the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure through the user interface. In embodiments, the user interfacefurther allows to edit the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure from an external source that stores the sender-controlledcontact media content data structure. In embodiments, the externalsource comprises one of a cloud repository and a library of athird-party content provider. In embodiments, the user interface allowsto create the sender-controlled contact media content data structureassociated with an emotional state of the sender. In embodiments, theemotional state is indicated through a data field in metadata associatedwith the sender-controlled contact media content data structure. Inembodiments, the emotional state is indicated by one or more of a facialexpression, an image, a sound, and an emoticon.

In embodiments, the methods and systems described herein may furtherinclude setting a privacy control through the installable application tolimit publication of the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure to a select audience.

The methods and systems disclosed herein may include methods and systemsfor segregating the created sender-controlled contact media content datastructure into one or more of audio, video, and metadata components;associating each of the components of the created sender-controlledcontact media content data structure with a particular tone; and storingthe tone for each of the components locally on the mobile device of thesender. In embodiments, the methods and systems described herein mayfurther include uploading the tone for each of the components on anapplication server or a content server. In embodiments, the methods andsystems described herein may further include allowing previewing thesender-controlled contact media content data structure; and addingcustom details to the sender-controlled contact media content datastructure, either before or after sending the sender-controlled contactmedia content data structure to the at least one recipient. Inembodiments causing the display of the sender-controlled contact mediacontent data structure on the screen of the at least one mobile deviceis triggered by detection of the passing of the recipient's mobiledevice into an area defined by a geofence.

The methods and systems disclosed herein may include establishing apersonal channel having at least one media item by accessing aninstallable application from the mobile device and selecting at leastone pre-configured menu item that permits access to the at least onemedia item as part of the personal channel. The personal channel mayinclude the at least one media item selected from at least one mediacontent source. The at least one media content source may include atleast one of sender-controlled contact media content received from otherdevices, content available locally on the mobile device, content createdor captured by the mobile device, content obtained from social networkservers, and combinations thereof. The methods and systems disclosedherein may further include sharing the personal channel of the senderwith at least one recipient of the sender-controlled contact mediacontent data structure.

The methods and systems may further include initiating a contact withthe mobile device of the at least one recipient for notifying the mobiledevice of the at least one recipient to provide a media content for useas the sender-controlled contact media content data structure associatedwith the at least one recipient. In some examples, the at least onerecipient may be selected from a contact list or phonebook available onthe sender's mobile device. The methods and systems may enable providinga link to a website to the at least one recipient for uploading somemedia content that may be used as the sender-controlled contact mediacontent data structure associated with the at least one recipient.

Methods and systems are provided herein for establishing a personalchannel of media content items to be displayed on the lock-screen of auser's mobile device in response to a triggering contact event. Thesemay include providing a host system that enables handling of contactmedia content data structures for controlled display of the contactmedia content data structures on the lock-screen of at least one mobiledevice; causing a display of the contact media content data structure ona screen of the at least one mobile device of the at least one recipientwhen the at least one recipient's device is turned on and able toreceive at least one of a data signal and a voice signal, where thecontact media data structure displays media content on the lock-screenof the at least one mobile device upon receipt of a triggering contactevent to the at least one mobile device; and enabling a user toestablish a personal channel of contact media content having at leastone media item by accessing an installable application on the at leastone mobile device and selecting at least one pre-configured menu itemthat designates the at least one media item as part of the personalchannel. In embodiments, the personal channel includes the at least onemedia item selected from at least one media content source, where the atleast one media content source includes at least one of asender-controlled contact media content received from another device,content available locally on the at least one mobile device, contentcreated using the mobile device, and content obtained from a server. Themethods and systems may further include enabling the user to share thepersonal channel with at least one other user of a mobile applicationthat is configured to interact with the host system. The methods andsystems may further include initiating a contact with the mobile deviceof the at least one other user of a mobile device that is configured tointeract with the host system to request that the other user designate acontact media content item to be displayed when the other user initiatesa triggering contact to the user of the at least one mobile device. Inembodiments, the at least one other user is selected from a contact listavailable on the mobile device of the sender. In embodiments, notifyingthe mobile device of the at least one other user includes sending a linkfor a website where the other user is invited to upload the mediacontent to be displayed when the other user initiates a triggeringcontact to the user of the at least one mobile device.

In embodiments methods and systems described herein may include asystems that may include a lock-screen capable application executing ona recipient computing device, the lock-screen capable devicefacilitating user interface access to a communication function of therecipient computing device while the computing device remains in alocked state, wherein the lock-screen capable application intercepts acommunication received by the recipient device, the communicationassociated with at least one communication application or serviceoperable on the recipient computing device. The system may furtherinclude a content association application executing on the recipientcomputing device, wherein the content association applicationfacilitates associating a content item with the communication, based ona relevance of the content item with the communication, the relevancedetermined from processing the intercepted communication to identify anassociation based on metadata descriptive of content items stored in alibrary of content items. The system may further include automaticallyassociating a content item in response to detecting an indication of anintercepted communication. Automatically associating may includeassociating at least one of a GIF and a video with the communication.Automatically associating may further include determining an emotionalstate of the communication and associating content in response to thedetermined emotional state. Automatically associating may furtherinclude determining a context of the communication and associatingcontent in response to the determined context.

Methods and systems described herein may include a system that mayinclude a sender computing device configured with a sender-controlledcontact media content-based application (SCCMC application), the SCCMCapplication executing on the sender device and interfacing with a senderstate detection application executing on the sender device, wherein thesender state detection application detects at least one of a mood of thesender, a physical status of the sender, an emotional state of thesender and a mental state of the sender, and wherein the SCCMCapplication uses the detected state of the sender to determine a SCCMCstructure that corresponds to the detected state and associatesinformation that identifies the determined SCCMC structure with anoutgoing message for a recipient. In the system, the outgoing message isassociated with a phone call from the sender to a recipient. In thesystem, the SCCMC application further determines a content channelassociated with at least one of the sender and the recipient and basesthe determined SCCMC structure on the determined content channel.

Methods and systems described herein may include a method that mayinclude adapting a sender-controlled contact media content structure inresponse to receiving an indication of a current state of a sender ofthe sender-controlled contact media content structure, wherein the stateis one of a mood, a physical status, an emotional status, and a mentalstatus. In the method, the state is determined in response to facialrecognition of the sender contemporaneously with the sender sending amessage from a sender's computing device to a recipient's computingdevice. In the method, adapting occurs while a recipient computingdevice is processing a contact event resulting from receipt of a messagefrom a sender's computing device.

Methods and systems described herein may include a method that mayinclude operating a sender-controlled contact media content structurecreation platform on a computing device that, in response tointercepting a message being communicated between messaging applicationsresident on a sender's mobile device and a recipient's mobile device,offers customized services of the platform to a user of the mobiledevice on which the message is intercepted. In the method, the messageis intercepted on a sender mobile device prior to the message being sentto the recipient. In the system, the message is intercepted on arecipient mobile device prior to the messaging application resident onthe recipient's mobile device receiving the message. In the system,intercepting includes developing an understanding of the message withnatural language processing, the understanding further used tofacilitate making suggestions for video/image/audio of an SCCMC to beassociated with the message.

Methods and systems described herein may include a method that mayinclude operating a sender-controlled contact media content (SCCMC)structure contact event handling platform. The platform may perform thesteps including intercepting a message associated with other messagingapplications resident on the mobile device, wherein the message istargeted to a first messaging application of the other messagingapplications; processing the message with natural language processing todetermine at least one SCCMC structure; forwarding the determined atleast one SCCMC structure to an SCCMC unified messaging user interface;processing the SCCMC structure with the unified messaging interface;presenting at least one of text and imagery determined from theprocessing of the SCCMC structure in the unified messaging interface;and delivering a message that is compatible with the other messagingapplications to the first messaging application. In the method, themessage is intercepted on a recipient mobile device. In the method, theplatform operation may be performed while the recipient's mobile deviceis locked. In the method, the message is intercepted on a sender'smobile device.

Methods and systems described herein may include a method that mayinclude integrating at least one of audio, video, imagery, and textindicated by a sender-controlled contact media content (SCCMC) structureinto an augmented reality environment in response to detecting amobile-to-mobile device contact event, the integrating indicating thecontact event.

Methods and systems described herein include a lock-screen capableapplication executing on a recipient computing device. The lock-screencapable application is configured to facilitate user interface access toa communication function of the recipient computing device while therecipient computing device remains in a locked state. The lock-screencapable application is configured to intercept a communication receivedby the recipient computing device. The intercepted communication isassociated with at least one of a communication application or acommunication service operable on the recipient computing device. Themethods and systems further include a content association applicationexecuting on the recipient computing device. The content associationapplication is configured to facilitate associating a media content itemwith the intercepted communication based on a relevance of the mediacontent item with the intercepted communication. The relevance isdetermined from automatically processing the intercepted communicationto identify an association based on metadata descriptive of mediacontent items stored in a library of the media content items.

In embodiments, the associating of the media content item is performedautomatically by the content association application in response todetecting an indication of the intercepted communication.

In embodiments, the content association application is configured toassociate at least one of a GIF and a video with the interceptedcommunication.

In embodiments, the processing automatically of the interceptedcommunication to identify the association includes automaticallydetermining an emotional state of the intercepted communication andautomatically associating at least one of the media content items inresponse to the automatically determined emotional state.

In embodiments, the processing automatically of the interceptedcommunication to identify the association includes determining a contextof the intercepted communication and associating at least one of themedia content items in response to the determined context.

Methods and systems described herein include a sender computing deviceconfigured with a sender-controlled contact media content-basedapplication (SCCMC application). The SCCMC application is configured toexecute on the sender device and interface with a sender state detectionapplication that executes on the sender device. The sender statedetection application is configured to detect a detected state thatincludes at least one of a mood of the sender, a physical status of thesender, an emotional state of the sender and a mental state of thesender. The SCCMC application uses the detected state of the sender todetermine a SCCMC structure that corresponds to the detected state andassociates information that identifies the determined SCCMC structurewith an outgoing message for a recipient.

In embodiments, the outgoing message is associated with a phone callfrom the sender to a recipient.

In embodiments, the SCCMC application is configured to determine acontent channel associated with at least one of the sender and therecipient and to base the determined SCCMC structure on the determinedcontent channel.

Methods and systems described herein include adapting asender-controlled contact media content structure in response toreceiving an indication of a current state of a sender of thesender-controlled contact media content structure. The current state ofthe sender is one of a mood, a physical status, an emotional status, anda mental status.

In embodiments, the current state of the sender is determined inresponse to facial recognition of the sender contemporaneously with thesender sending a message from a sender's computing device to arecipient's computing device.

In embodiments, the adapting of the sender controlled contact mediacontent occurs while a recipient's computing device is processing acontact event resulting from receipt of a message from a sender'scomputing device.

Methods and systems described herein include operating asender-controlled contact media content structure creation platform on acomputing device that, in response to intercepting a message beingcommunicated between messaging applications resident on a sender'smobile device and a recipient's mobile device, offers customizedservices of the platform to a user of the mobile device on which themessage is intercepted.

In embodiments, the message is intercepted on a sender mobile deviceprior to the message being sent to the recipient.

In embodiments, the message is intercepted on a recipient mobile deviceprior to the messaging application resident on the recipient's mobiledevice receiving the message.

In embodiments, the intercepting includes developing an understanding ofthe message with natural language processing, and wherein theunderstanding is further used to facilitate making suggestions forvideo/image/audio of a sender-controlled contact media content to beassociated with the message.

Methods and systems described herein include operating asender-controlled contact media content (SCCMC) structure contact eventhandling platform including intercepting a message associated with othermessaging applications resident on the mobile device, wherein themessage is targeted to a first messaging application of the othermessaging applications. The methods and system also include processingthe message with natural language processing to determine at least oneSCCMC structure and forwarding the determined at least one SCCMCstructure to an SCCMC unified messaging user interface. The methods andsystems further include processing the SCCMC structure with the unifiedmessaging interface, presenting at least one of text and imagerydetermined from the processing of the SCCMC structure in the unifiedmessaging interface, and delivering the message that is compatible withthe other messaging applications to the first messaging application.

In embodiments, the message is intercepted on a recipient's computingdevice.

In embodiments, the message is intercepted on a recipient computingdevice while the recipient's computing device is locked.

In embodiments, the message is intercepted on a sender's computingdevice.

Methods and systems described herein include integrating at least one ofaudio, video, imagery, and text indicated by a sender-controlled contactmedia content (SCCMC) structure into an augmented reality environment inresponse to detecting a mobile-to-mobile device contact event. Theintegrating of the at least one of audio, video, imagery, and text is anindicator of the contact event.

In embodiments, the methods and systems include adapting thesender-controlled contact media content structure in response toreceiving an indication of a current state of a sender of thesender-controlled contact media content structure. The current state ofthe sender is one of a mood, a physical status, an emotional status, anda mental status.

In embodiments, the current state of the sender is determined inresponse to facial recognition of the sender contemporaneously with thesender sending a message from a sender's computing device to arecipient's computing device.

In embodiments, integrating includes developing an understanding of themessage from the sender with natural language processing, and whereinthe understanding is further used to facilitate making suggestions forvideo/image/audio of a sender-controlled contact media content to beassociated with the message.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the accompanying figures, like reference numerals refer to identicalor functionally similar elements throughout the separate views andtogether with the detailed description below are incorporated in andform part of the specification, serve to further illustrate variousembodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all inaccordance with the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture for a method and system for an SCCMCin accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a process for creating and sharing an SCCMCin accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 2C illustrates a process for initiating a phone call in accordancewith an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 3A-3G illustrate the creation of an SCCMC in accordance with anembodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 4A-4F illustrate examples of an SCCMC in accordance with anembodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C illustrate User A sharing an SCCMC with User B inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 6 illustrates User A adding custom details to an SCCMC inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 7 illustrates User B setting an SCCMC received from User A inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 8 illustrates User B creating an SCCMC and sharing the SCCMC withUser A and others in accordance with an embodiment of the systems andmethods disclosed herein.

FIG. 9 illustrates an SCCMC created by User B for his or her significantother in accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein.

FIG. 10 illustrates a Home-Feed screenshot of an SCCMC in accordancewith an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate Notifications screenshots of an SCCMC inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 12 illustrates a Menu screenshot of an SCCMC in accordance with anembodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 13 illustrates a Settings screenshot of an SCCMC in accordance withan embodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 14A-141 illustrate screenshots of a process to enable contactediting between users in accordance with an embodiment of the systemsand methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C illustrate screenshots of a process to deliver acontact with a SCCMC that automatically, or under user control, updateson the phone contacts of another user in accordance with an embodimentof the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 16 illustrates a process for transferring an SCCMC from User A toUser B in accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein.

FIGS. 17A-17D illustrate user community growth of an SCCMC through aviral sharing effect in accordance with an embodiment of the systems andmethods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 18A, 18B, and 18C illustrate monetization examples of an SCCMC inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIGS. 19-21 illustrate trigger examples of an SCCMC in accordance withan embodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 22 illustrates a flow in which a second user's reaction to an SCCMCis recorded and shared with another party.

FIG. 23 illustrates a flow in which the playing of an SCCMC may betriggered by a triggering event.

FIG. 24 illustrates a computer system.

FIG. 25 illustrates a mobile device.

FIG. 26 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface for setting apersonal channel for an SCCMC in accordance with an embodiment of thesystems and methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 27 and 28 illustrate screenshots of a user interface for enablinga media content based on an identity of a user in accordance with anembodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 29 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface for creating avideo for an SCCMC in accordance with an embodiment of the systems andmethods disclosed herein.

FIG. 30 illustrates a flow chart of a method for providing a setup of acontextual video message in accordance with an embodiment of the systemsand methods disclosed herein.

FIGS. 31A-31E illustrate screenshots of a user interface for a messaginginteraction in accordance with embodiments of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein.

FIG. 32 illustrates a block diagram of a unified messaging platform inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 33 illustrates an embodiment of a media content library inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 34 illustrates an embodiment of composite media content library inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 35 illustrates an embodiment of separate media and SCCMC structurelibraries in accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein.

FIG. 36 illustrates an embodiment of a sender device configuration inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 37 illustrates an embodiment of a unified messaging user interfacefor media content selection in accordance with an embodiment of thesystems and methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 38 illustrates an embodiment of a recipient device configuration inaccordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods disclosedherein.

FIG. 39 illustrates an embodiment of a unified messaging interface forresponding to a modified media content message in accordance with anembodiment of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements inthe figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help toimprove understanding of embodiments of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described in detail by describingvarious illustrative, non-limiting embodiments thereof with reference tothe accompanying drawings and exhibits. The disclosure may, however, beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as beinglimited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andwill fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in theart. The claims should be consulted to ascertain the true scope of thedisclosure.

Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with thesystems and methods disclosed herein, it should be observed that theembodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and/orsystem components related to enabling a user to associate a service witha product in a way that makes it much more convenient and effective forthe user to take advantage of the benefits of the service in connectionwith the product. Accordingly, the system components and method stepshave been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in thedrawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent tounderstanding the embodiments of the systems and methods disclosedherein so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will bereadily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

All documents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entirety. References to items in the singular should be understoodto include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly statedotherwise or clear from the context. Grammatical conjunctions areintended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinationsof conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwisestated or clear from the context. Thus, the term “or” should generallybe understood to mean “and/or” and so forth.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting,referring instead individually to any and all values falling within therange, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value withinsuch a range is incorporated into the specification as if it wereindividually recited herein. The words “about,” “approximately,” or thelike, when accompanying a numerical value, are to be construed asindicating a deviation as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skillin the art to operate satisfactorily for an intended purpose. Ranges ofvalues and/or numeric values are provided herein as examples only, anddo not constitute a limitation on the scope of the describedembodiments. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language(“e.g.,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein, is intended merely tobetter illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on thescope of the embodiments or the claims. No language in the specificationshould be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential tothe practice of the embodiments.

In the following description, it is understood that terms such as“first,” “second,” “third,” “above,” “below,” and the like, are words ofconvenience and are not to be construed as implying a chronologicalorder or otherwise limiting any corresponding element unless expresslystate otherwise.

As used herein, the term “tone” may be used to refer to a singleinstance of a sender-controlled contact media content type, which mayinclude one or more of audio, video (which may include video captured byvideo cameras, voice, computer-generated video, animations, or othervideo-type content that can be displayed in any format on a mobiledevice, such as a mobile phone), contact data, and/or metadata. A singletone may be adapted for broadcast, in a single act by a sender, overboth voice layer and data layer transmission mediums in a coordinatedfashion. As noted above, an SCCMC is also referred to herein (includingin the figures) for convenience as a “Vyng,” which is an example of abrand name for the SCCMC that would be understood by users to refer tothis novel type of content item.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an architecture 100 for an SCCMC.The architecture 100 includes a user A's mobile phone 102, referred toalternatively herein as a sender mobile phone 102. The architecture 100further includes a user B's mobile phone 104, alternatively referred toas a recipient mobile phone 104. The sender mobile phone 102 andrecipient mobile phone 104 are each communicatively connected with acontent server 112. The architecture 100 may run an application(referred to herein in some cases as the App) that may establish a dataconnection, or tunnel, between the two user's phones and that maycontrol creation and display of SCCMC-type content between the twodevices 102 and 104. The architecture 100 and the SCCMC-type contentdata structure may be used with any type of mobile device or mobiledevice operating system or platform, such as the Android™ operatingsystem, the iOS™ operating system, or other operating systems.Embodiments provided herein that describe a particular operating systemshould be understood to apply to other operating systems, except wherecontext indicates otherwise (such as where a particular operating systemlacks the functions described in connection with a particularembodiment). In addition to using and integrating with mobile operatingsystem platforms, the architecture 100 and SCCMC-type content items maybe integrated with and layered within other applications, including onesthat host developer platforms, such as Facebook Messenger™ and Viber™.Integration with apps that have calling features, including ones thatuse Voice over IP allows for the SCCMC-type content item to leverage theplatforms that support such applications, including to produceSCCMC-type content items to be delivered upon incoming calls. This maybe accomplished, among other things, by use of the developer platformresources that are associated with such applications, such as developeruser interfaces, application programming interfaces, developer tools,and the like, including integration of the content server 112 describedin connection with the architecture 100.

FIG. 2A illustrates a process for creating and sharing an SCCMC tone(referred to in some cases simply as a “tone”). First, the architecture100 may enable a user interface on the sender mobile phone 102 to allowthe sender to create video and/or audio content, or an SCCMC tone, atstep 1. The user may edit the audio and/or video content from externalsources (e.g., stored in the cloud or from a library of a third-partycontent provider), internal sources (e.g., from saved audio/video on thephone), or may create new video/audio. The user may set privacy controlsvia the App to limit publication of the SCCMC tone to a select audience.

The user's composite creation may be separated into audio, video, andmetadata components. These components may be associated with aparticular tone, such as by being assigned as properties of the tone.The tone may then be stored locally on the device 102. The tone may beuploaded to the application server or content server 112 and may bepersisted in storage, such as associated with the server 112 or incloud-based storage.

In an exemplary embodiment, a first user may create the SCCMC such asusing the App at step 1. At a step 2, the first user may then share theSCCMC with friends, such as by text/SMS message (such as in a snippet,link, or the like in a text) such as with a second user. At a step 3,the first user may preview the SCCMC and/or add other custom details,either before or after sharing the SCCMC with one or more other users.At a step 4, the second user may tap the link and install the App, whichmay set the SCCMC of the first user on the second user's phone 104.Either user may send the SCCMC to multiple persons, and a communityaround the App may be used, such as within a group of friends, within aschool district, within a work group or enterprise, or the like. Whenthe second user first downloads the App, the first user's contact may beshown now associated with the SCCMC tone created by the first user. Thesecond user may further create a tone at a step 5A. At a step 6, thesecond user may share this SCCMC with the first user and/or otherfriends, for example. The second user may, for example, create a customSCCMC for his spouse at a step 5B.

FIG. 2B illustrates a process 200 for creating and sharing an SCCMC tone(referred to in some cases simply as a “tone” or in other cases as a“Ving” or a “Vyng”). First, the architecture 100 may enable a userinterface on the sender mobile phone 102 to allow the sender to createvideo and/or audio content, or an SCCMC tone, at step 202. The user mayedit the audio and/or video content from external sources (e.g., storedin the cloud or from a library of a third-party content provider),internal sources (e.g., from saved audio/video on the phone), or maycreate new video/audio. The user may set privacy controls via the App tolimit publication of the SCCMC tone to a select audience.

The user's composite creation may be separated into audio, video, andmetadata components. These components may be associated with aparticular tone, such as by being assigned as properties of the tone.The tone may then be stored locally on the device 102. The tone may beuploaded to the application server or content server 112 and may bepersisted in storage, such as associated with the server 112 or incloud-based storage.

In an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2B, a first user maycreate the SCCMC such as using the App at the first step 202. The SCCMCmay be created using a standard encoding protocol. Standard encodingprotocols may include HTML5, Flash, MP4/H.264, WebM, Ogg, 3GP/MPEG4 andthe like. At a second step 204, the first user may upload the SCCMC to aserver. The server may be a hosted on a cloud hosting service. Cloudhosting services may include Amazon Web Services™ (AWS), Microsoft AzureInfrastructure Services™, Google Cloud Platform™, CenturyLink Cloud™(CLC), VMware vCloud Air™, IBM SoftLayer™ Rackspace™ and the like.

At a third step 208, a dual push notification may be sent from theserver to a second user. The dual push notification may be sent over afirst network 220, a second network 222, or a first network 220 and asecond network 222. First network 220 and second network 222 may be onseparate infrastructures operated by different operators, such as anAmazon™ SMS infrastructure, a Google™ Cloud Messaging infrastructure, aPushy™ MQTT infrastructure, an infrastructure of a mobiletelecommunications operator, and the like. Sending the push notificationover multiple, separate infrastructures may increase the reliability ofthe push notification sent from the first user being received by thesecond user.

At a fourth step 210, the second user may receive the push notificationon the second user's mobile phone 104. The push notification may includeinformation that tells the second user's mobile phone 104 to prepare toplay the SCCMC created by the first user. The second user's mobile phone104 may download the SCCMC. The SCCMC may be installed on the seconduser's mobile phone 104 to be played on a screen of the second user'smobile phone 104, such as at the lock screen, on the home screen, in anapplication, or on a screen that displays while the recipient is on aphone call. At a fifth step 212, the second user may send a pushnotification to the first user. The push notification sent by the seconduser to the first user may inform the first user that the second userreceived the SCCMC sent by the first user. The push notification sent bythe second user to the first user may also inform the first user thatthe SCCMC sent by the first user to the second user is ready to play onthe second user's mobile phone 104.

FIG. 2C illustrates a process and flow 228 for initiating a phone call.A phone call may be initiated when a first user receives a pushnotification from a second user, as illustrated in the first step 238.In a second step 240, the first user may initiate a phone call from thefirst user's mobile phone 102 to the second user's mobile phone 104. Thephone call may be initiated over a voice network 230, a data network232, or both, and may be associated with a message from the sender to arecipient. In embodiments, the call may use both transmission layers(voice and data). A voice network 230 may be a cellular phone network. Aphone call initiated over a data network 232 may be a voice overInternet protocol (VOIP) phone call. A VOIP phone call may be initiatedwith a second push notification sent from the first user to the seconduser. A second push notification may include a session ID. A VOIP callmay be initiated using a third-party service. A third-party service maybe provided by Top Box™, Skype™, Google Hangouts™ WhatsApp™, WeChat™ andthe like.

The second user may receive the phone call on the second user's mobiledevice 104 from the first user's mobile device 102 at a third step 242.The second user's mobile device 104 may play the SCCMC when the phonecall is received from the first user's mobile device 102, as illustratedin subsequent steps 244 and 248.

FIGS. 3A-3G illustrate detailed screenshots of a user interface of theApp by which a first user may create a new SCCMC. The first user maycreate the SCCMC with custom ringtones, text tones, and photo as part ofhis or her contact card that may be controlled by the first user himselfon his or her friend's phone (recipient mobile phone 104) instantly. TheApp may provide interfaces for getting started with the App, brieftutorials, the capability for recording videos, the ability to selectfriends, the ability to push videos to other people's phones, and thelike. Ideas may be provided as prompts to the user. The App may allowcreating and sharing of videos and tunes. The App may allow listening toor viewing other ringtones that have already been created. The App mayallow creating the first SCCMC for a user. The App may also allowvarious video options, such as slow motion, the use of a timer, and thelike, to be included in or with the SCCMC. The App may allow the user toedit a page and/or request additional tools or advanced features. In anexample, the source file may be removed and the App may keep the videoand play something else for audio and/or split the video and audio andchange either one. The App may allow adding filters, captions, messages,or music, customization of the message, and the like. The App may allowsharing a page to a list of friends and the like. The App may allowsharing through a text message, such as via a button that allows theuser to send a preview of the SCCMC with video and/or audio and a linkto download the App. The App may enable a store for downloading the Appif it is not already installed on the phone of the recipient. If thesecond user has an App, a message may trigger delivering the SCCMC toneto a queue.

For purposes of creation, a button in the App may allow the first userto discover and choose audio, videos or SCCMC tones that he may alreadyhave. The videos or other forms of content to be used in the SCCMC maybe stored in a library, and the App may facilitate discovery from thelibrary. The App may also allow browsing other videos that come fromother websites that enable sharing or downloading of video. Inembodiments, the SCCMC may be selected from a curated library ofSCCMC-type content. The library may be automatically curated, undercomputer control, via an algorithm that is based on a topic of interestindicated by a sender or a recipient of an SCCMC. The library may becurated by an editor based on subject matter, such as the subject matterof a channel to which a sender or recipient subscribes.

The App may allow searching for key words, and it may automaticallyupload a video that is searched for those keywords. The App may alsoallow using stop-motion photos in the SCCMC and may allow video or audiopayload. The App may allow adding audio to videos, and the like. Theaudio files may be either taken from what is already created (user'slibrary), or from the sender mobile phone 102, or from other users,albums (such as music store), and the like.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a call being received on a second user'smobile device 104. The call may display the SCCMC tone created by thefirst user automatically on the second user's phone. In embodiments, thefirst user may wish to convey a current emotional state. A userinterface on the first user's phone may, for example, allow the firstuser to create multiple tones, each of which is associated with anemotional state. The emotional states may be indicated in metadata ofthe tones. When the user initiates a call, the user may indicate acurrent emotional state, which, when transmitted to the phone of thesecond user, may initiate a process by which the App selects anddisplays the correct SCCMC tone that is associated with that currentemotional state of the first user. The emotional state may be conveyedby a facial expression, an image, a sound, an emoticon, or othercharacteristic associated with a particular tone.

As shown, the recipient mobile phone 104 may display the SCCMC that thefirst user directs the recipient mobile phone 104 to ring/show videothat reflects current mood of the first user. The App may be able tochoose what the first user sends, or what message is displayed on thesecond user's phone, such as indicated by emojis, by selecting a mood,or the like. In embodiments, the correct SCCMC tone may be associatedwith and therefore shared every time the first user calls or texts thesecond user. In other embodiments one or more tones is stored on thesecond user's mobile device 104 and is triggered by the receipt of acall from the number of the first user's device 102, possibly carryingwith it other information (which may be transmitted over the server 112via the App) that allows selection of particular emotional content. Inembodiments, the App may change an SCCMC during a call. The App may betriggered to change an SCCMC during a call when the mood of the firstuser changes to a different mood, for example. The App may select a newSCCMC for display on the second user's device 104 to reflect thedifferent mood of the first user. A user may be able to respond to theSCCMC.

A user may be able to respond to an SCCMC by tapping on the SCCMC. Forexample, a second user may be able provide feedback to a first user onan SCCMC sent by the first user to the second user. The feedback sent bythe second user may indicate the second user's satisfaction with theSCCMC sent by the first user to the second user. The second user mayprovide feedback to the first user by tapping on an SCCMC received froma first user, for example. The tap may generate a heart or other emojion the SCCMC displayed on the second user's mobile device 104. The tapmay also generate a heart or other emoji on the screen of the firstuser's mobile device 102.

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate embodiments of user interface features by whichthe first user may share an SCCMC tone with the second user. FIG. 5Aillustrates a message that the second user may receive from the firstuser, prompting the second user to accept delivery of and set the SCCMCtone of the first user on the mobile device of the second user. Themessage may include text, video, audio, links, and the like. FIG. 5Billustrates a detailed screenshot of the interface by which a first usermay select which friends the first user would like to have receive theparticular SCCMC tone. FIG. 5C illustrates a confirmation that may bedisplayed to the first user when the SCCMC has been successfully sharedwith the selected friends of first user.

In various embodiments, content delivery may be achieved either througha client-server architecture (including a cloud architecture), apeer-to-peer architecture, or other content delivery architecture.

In a client-server approach, the App may periodically query theapplication server or content server 112 for newly published or updatedcontent. A content update may also be triggered via a push message fromthe server 112. Content may be filtered based upon privacy settings setby the content creator. The App may automatically download newlypublished or updated content and may synchronize the local data store onthe device 102 with other content, such as cloud-stored content.

In a peer-to-peer approach, users, such as the first user and the seconduser in the examples above, who are in proximity to each other orconnected via any peer-to-peer network connection may discover eachother through the App. For example, the peer application may broadcastits presence to a listening port on the other peer device to establishits presence and seek to exchange credentials. Once discovered, peersmay be displayed in the App to a user. The user may then selectivelysend SCCMC tones to one or more discovered peers.

FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed screenshot of a user interface by which auser may record audio for inclusion in or with an SCCMC tone.

FIG. 7 provides a detailed screenshot of an interface by which a usermay see snapshots of various SCCMC tones, such as ones received fromother users or ones created to be shared with other users. When the Appis installed on the phone of a user, the phone number of the user may beverified. Verification may be done in the background, such as when thephone is running the Android operating system. The App then may use thephone number to automatically set any SCCMC tones that are shared withthe user by any friends of the user who are listed in the contacts onthe phone of the user. The SCCMC tones may be set automatically byseamlessly matching the phone number associated with the SCCMC tone tothe phone number of a contact in the address book on the phone of theuser. Once the App is installed on the phone of a user, any new SCCMCtones sent to the user may be automatically set and a notification maybe displayed in the notification list of the phone. SCCMC toneacceptance by the user may be automatic, may be active and require inputfrom the user, and the like. SCCMC tone acceptance may be controlled bythe user in the settings of the phone or of the App.

In embodiments upon initiation of the application on a mobile device102, 104, the App may register with the operating system of the mobiledevice, including registering as a listener for incoming voice calls andincoming text messages.

When the App is notified of an incoming call, it may receive theincoming phone number from the operating system. The App may query itsown internal database for an SCCMC tone that is linked to the incomingphone number. If a match is found, the App starts a new activity to playthe SCCMC tone, such as using the default ringer application on thephone.

When the App is notified of an incoming text message (SMS), it mayreceive the incoming phone number from the operating system. The App mayquery its own internal database, such as for audio to play that islinked to the incoming phone number. If a match is found, the App mayplay the audio file, such as in an alternative to playing the defaultsound normally used to indicate an incoming text message.

The App may further allow pushing and synchronizing content to thecontacts portion of a friend's/contact's phone, such as the recipientmobile phone 104, where the first user may control the video/audiopresentation when the recipient mobile phone 104 rings upon the call ofthe first user. In embodiments, a user may find, manipulate and/orcreate video and/or audio and push it to the contacts function onsomeone else's phone, such as the recipient mobile 104.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate examples of an SCCMC tone being displayed onthe mobile phone 104 of the user as the user receives a call fromsomeone who created and sent an SCCMC tone to the user.

FIG. 10 illustrates a “Home-Feed” interface screenshot. The interfaceallows a user to see what he or she has downloaded and what he or shehas shared with another user. The interface may allow a user to “like”or comment on the SCCMC tone. The interface shows what is pending in thenews feeds of the user. The interface may also show updates in the SCCMCtone by other users.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate screenshots for displaying notifications. Auser may receive notifications via one or more push messages sentthrough the mobile operating system of the phone of the user. Asillustrated in embodiments shown in FIGS. 11A-11B, a user may accessnotifications via a notification icon 1102 displayed in the App. The Appmay enable a communication channel between the first user and his or herclose contacts, including the second user, so that the first user andhis or her friends may have an automatic update channel. For example, asshown in FIG. 11A, Joe may have updated his SCCMC tone and shared theupdate with a second user over the communication channel. As an example,the first user may change audio and video associated with the SCCMC tonethat the first user shared with the second user. The App may reflectchanges in the user profile of the first user on the phone of the seconduser and notify the second user of the changes in the notificationsinterface of the phone of the second user. The changes may reflect achanged text (e.g., audio) tone, changed SCCMC tone, and the like.

In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 11A, the first user not onlycreated a video ringtone, but also created a text tone. The App changesthe text tone accordingly.

Embodiments may include user linking. For example, the first user andthe second user may link their accounts so that shared content isavailable between the users. The first user may send a text message withan identifying token via the App to the second user. The App on therecipient's phone 104 may listen for the incoming text message andautomatically send the identifying token to the server 112. The twoaccounts are then linked server-side so that content may be sharedbetween the first user and the second user.

User discovery may also be enabled. The App may also display a feed ofpublicly shared tones. The users may discover and link their accounts toother users in the public feed via private request/accept messages.Users may “like” a tone, add a tone to their library (re-Vyng), commenton a tone, report a tone and the like. A record button may be fixed tothe bottom of the feed screen. Video may play without audio as a userscrolls through the feed. Users may maximize the video by tapping on it,and when the video is maximized the accompanying audio may be played.

FIG. 12 illustrates a “Menu” screenshot. The user may access a homescreen, a list of tones (referred to as “Vyngs” in FIG. 12), a list ofthe user's friends, and other settings from the “Menu”.

FIG. 13 illustrates a Settings screenshot. Various settings options maybe provided to allow the second user to set allowances for his or hercontacts e.g., preview tones before they automatically update on therecipient mobile 104.

FIGS. 14A-141 illustrate various screenshots for the process to enablecontact editing between the first user and the second user using anSCCMC tone. A channel is provided to enable contact editing between thefirst user and the second user. The edits made by the first user to thecontact provided to the second user may be done automatically or undercontrol of the first user, the second user or the first and second user.A user may allow an SCCMC to be saved, synchronized, or automaticallyupdated.

The first user may go into a payload that the first user sends to thesecond user. The first user may put content in the form of a profilepicture, name, and email into the payload. If the first user changes anyof this content, then the second user receives an update (e.g., thefirst user changed his or her profile picture, email, etc.) that mayautomatically update the content on the recipient's phone 104, or therecipient may have settings that control updates to the recipient'sphone, such as by allowing the payload to be updated under control orautomatically, based on the settings selected by the recipient.

The SCCMC tone created for the first user may be shared with the seconduser, the world, or other people selected by the first user. The firstuser may decide to not share the SCCMC tone.

The first user may choose to select existing video or audio to add tothe SCCMC tone as shown in FIGS. 14E and 14F, newly captured audio asshown in FIGS. 14G and 14H, and music as shown in FIG. 141. Newlycaptured audio may be captured and posted automatically.

In an example, an SCCMC tone may live on the recipient's phone 104 atthe level of the contacts function, rather than in an application thatthe second user has to locate, access, and use. The contact card maycreate all the features of the SCCMC tone using content taken from thesocial network of the first user. If first user calls or texts thesecond user, the SCCMC displays the contact of the first user, wheneverthe second user uses the normal functions of the phone 102 to interactwith the call or text from the first user. Thus, the SCCMC tone isplayed within the contacts function of the recipient's phone, withoutrequiring the recipient to interact with an application.

FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C illustrate screenshots providing the process todeliver a contact with an SCCMC tone that then automatically, or underuser control, updates on the phone contacts of another user. FIG. 15Aillustrates a screenshot providing an interface that may allow a firstuser to select with whom first user wishes to share the SCCMC tone. Thefirst user may choose to share the SCCMC tone publicly, for example withthe world, with all friends or with selected friends. FIG. 15Billustrates a screenshot providing an interface that may allow a seconduser who receives the SCCMC from the first user to enable or disable theSCCMC. FIG. 15C illustrates a screenshot providing an interface that mayallow second user to edit the SCCMC received from the first user andcontrol the behavior of the SCCMC on the phone of the second user.

Various content control functions may be enabled. When the App receivesnew or updated SCCMC tone information, the App may update the localstore of metadata in the application database and update the localcontact information of the registered user with fields stored in a datarecord for the SCCMC tone. The App may also convert the ringtone audioportion of the SCCMC tone into an acceptable format for a ringtone ortext tone on the local device, save the ringtone to the shared datastore in the phone's operating system, and register the ringtone withthe operating system. Using application programming interfaces (APIs) ofthe operating system, the App may assign the ringtone to the sender onthe recipient's phone 104.

FIG. 16 depicts steps of a method for enabling delivery of an SCCMC tonefrom the first user (User A) to the second user (User B), according toan embodiment. First, in a step 1602, the first user, referred to hereinas User A, may save audio and video captured during creation of theSCCMC tone, which may include audio and video captured by a video cameraof the user's phone, audio and/or video retrieved from saved files,and/or video and/or audio retrieved from other sources, such as found ina search, retrieved from storage (including in the cloud), or the like.Next, in a step 1604, the audio and video may be separated into twoseparate files, one for audio and one for video.

Next, in a step 1606, the files may be associated with a database recordthat may store information about the SCCMC tone, such as the identifyinginformation for User A, identifying information and property informationfor the audio file and the video file, and metadata, such as furtherinformation about user A and information about how User A wishes toshare the SCCMC tone. At a step 1608, the SCCMC tone may be uploadedfrom User A's mobile phone 102, such as a smart phone, to a contentserver 112, and at a step 1610 the content server 112 may publish theSCCMC tone along with certain privacy controls that are based onpreferences of User A, such as whether the SCCMC tone is just for UserA, is intended to be shared with another party (referred to here as UserB or the second user) or parties, or is intended to be public. Suchprivacy controls for a given SCCMC tone may be captured in theapplication that User A uses on User A's device to create and upload theSCCMC tone.

Next, at a step 1612, User B may open the App on User B's mobile phone104, which queries the content server 112 to assess what is available toUser B's mobile phone 104 in a feed that is associated with User B,which may include User B's own creations, content shared with User B byothers (such as User A), and public content published by various users.The content server 112 and User B's mobile phone 104 may undertake asynchronization process at step 1614, where a difference is determinedbetween the available feed on the content server 112 and the contentalready on User B's phone, after which at a step 1616 User B's mobilephone 104 downloads any content not already present on User B's phonefrom the content server 112. Once the updated SCCMC tone data isdownloaded, the SCCMC App on User B's mobile phone 104 may turn theaudio file portion of the SCCMC tone into a ring tone at step 1618,which is a special class or format that typically has its own registryin mobile operating systems, such as the Android™ or iOS™ mobileoperating systems, deployed on certain smart phones. At step 1620, theSCCMC App may register the audio file associated with the SCCMC tone inthe ringtone registry as a ringtone. Next, at a step 1622, the SCCMCtone may set up a listener, using the feature of the operating systemthat enables listening for incoming phone calls (which in the case ofdevices running the Android™ mobile operating system is enabled by anSDK for the operating system). The SCCMC App may access native APIsexposed by the Android™, iOS™ or other operating system to listen for acall. At a step 1624, if an incoming call is detected from a number(e.g., the number of User A) that has a tone associated with it on UserB's mobile phone 104, the SCCMC App retrieves the audio and/or videofile portions of the SCCMC tone that was downloaded and the audio fileportion and video file portion may be played individually or together.

In some closed operating system environments, one cannot detect anincoming phone call or set the user's ringtone for the user. In suchcases the content server 112 may just update contact information on UserB's mobile phone 104, such as allowing User B to save an SCCMC tone forcalls from User A, but in such cases possibly requiring actions for UserB that are not needed in other situations. In embodiments, the contentserver 112 may also push notifications to users, so that User B may viewUser A's content that was shared for User B.

In embodiments, such as involving closed operating systems, an SCCMCcontent tone may be downloaded and stored on User B's mobile phone 104for later access, such as at a time when the operating system makesavailable the ability to listen to a call, or at such time as the userelects to have the phone “jailbroken” or otherwise made open.

In embodiments, other ways to share content may involve the P2P transferof an SCCMC tone, optionally with separated audio and video components,directly from a phone of a first user to a second user, withoutrequiring a content server 112 or client-server arrangement, or with thecontent server 112 supplying a complementary role, but not beingrequired for the transfer of the SCCMC. This may include using theAirdrop™ function in phones that use the iOS™ operating system orsimilar P2P transfer functions in other operating systems, such asAndroid™.

FIGS. 17A-D illustrate a user community growth through viral sharingeffects. FIG. 17A illustrates a first user who has created an SCCMCtone. FIG. 17B illustrates the first user sharing the SCCMC tone with afirst set of recipients. As illustrated in FIG. 17C, upon receipt of theSCCMC tone from the first user, the first recipients create and sharetheir own SCCMC tones with a second set of recipients and the first setof recipients become users of the SCCMC tones in the process. FIG. 17Dillustrates the second set of recipients then sharing their own SCCMCtones with a third set of recipients, as the second set of recipientsbecome users of the SCCMC tones in the process, continuing the growthcycle.

FIGS. 18A, 18B, and 18C illustrate monetization examples. FIG. 18Aillustrates built-in advertising opportunities made available by arecipient of an SCCMC tone asking the sender of the SCCMC how sendercreated/used/shared a sender-controlled SCCMC. FIG. 18B illustrates apremium sender-controlled SCCMC tone as posted on a content feed. Apremium SCCMC tone may support content taken from a marketplace forcontent creators. The marketplace for content creators may include SCCMCtone creation add-ons and brand promotional content. Brand promotionalcontent be directly uploaded to the marketplace by brands and mayinclude brand songs.

A creator of an SCCMC may select content from the marketplace to includein the SCCMC that the user is creating. A creator of an SCCMC may selectcontent from a content library that is made available by the marketplaceto the creator of the SCCMC. The market place may make available SCCMCcontent add-ons, which may include voice manipulation functions, photofilters, video filters, and the like. A premium SCCMC may also includepromotional content for brands. An affiliate code may be linked to aSCCMC or a particular content component, such as an audio or video file,included in an SCCMC. Content may be ranked, rated, shared, liked, orsubscribed to by content creators, content senders, or contentrecipients.

FIG. 18C illustrates an example of advertising in a sender-controlledSCCMC, in which an advertisement is displayed to a second user when afirst user calls or sends a text message to a second user. Anadvertisement may include image components, audio components, videocomponents, and the like.

In another example, a sender of an SCCMC tone may associate a song withan SCCMC tone and choose to have that song play on the mobile device ofa recipient when the sender calls or sends a text message to thatrecipient. The song may be a song performed by a favorite artist,another favorite song, and the like. In yet another example, apre-recorded message from a celebrity personality may play on the phoneof a recipient of an SCCMC tone when the sender of the SCCMC tone callsor sends a text message to the recipient. The pre-recorded message maybe selected based on how the recipient chooses to interact with the callor text message by either accepting, rejecting, or replying to the callor message.

FIG. 19 illustrates flow 1900 in which an SCCMC that may be triggered toplay by the sending of an SCCMC from a user to a friend or group offriends. In the example illustrated in FIG. 19, a first user may send anSCCMC to a group of friends, shown in this example as a second user, athird user and a fourth user, as illustrated in first step 1902. In asecond step 1904, the second user, third user and fourth user mayreceive the SCCMC from the first user. In a third step 1906, the SCCMCmay play immediately on the screen of the second user's mobile phonewhen the SCCMC is received on the second user's mobile phone, the screenof the third user's mobile phone when the SCCMC is received on the thirduser's mobile phone and the screen of the fourth user's mobile phonewhen the SCCMC is received on the fourth user's mobile phone. An SCCMCthat may be triggered to play by the sending of an SCCMC from a user toa friend or group of friends may be referred to as a “Vyng Bomb,” insome cases. It may be noted that the SCCMC may be delivered, asdescribed in connection with FIGS. 2B and 2C, over transmission layersof voice and data networks, so that user 2 may receive the SCCMC over adata network and play it upon initiation of a VOIP call, while user 3may receive the SCCMC over a voice network, such that the SCCMC tone isplayed on the screen of user 3's phone when the call is received. Inembodiments, the trigger to play the SCCMC may comprise a pushnotification over a data network without involving a phone call. TheSCCMC may, in such embodiments, play and immediately disappear withoutthere ever existing a phone call or a VoIP call.

FIG. 20 illustrates an SCCMC that may be selected from a set of videocontent. In a first step 2002, a first user may sign up to receivecontent from one or more video channels 2012. Video channels 2002 may beselected from social graph video sources 2014 or other video sources2018, such as libraries curated by editors or curated automatically,such as by one or more algorithms that identify and aggregate contentbased on, for example, a defined topic of interest. Social graph videosources 2014 may be created in the SCCMC App or found in other apps fromthe social graph of a user, such as videos from Facebook™, Twitter™,LinkedIn™, SnapChat™ Periscope™ and the like. Other video sources 2018may include local sports team video sources, world news video sources,trending videos in categories video sources, top music video sources andthe like. Local sports team video sources may include the latesthighlights from local teams, the favorite teams of the first user andthe like. World news video sources may include the latest world news.Trending videos in categories video sources may include trending videosin a category such as “cats,” for example. Top music video sources mayinclude clips of trending music videos. Once a user has signed up, in asecond step 2004, the first user may receive a call. In a third step2008, a video channel may be selected after the first user receives acall. In a fourth step 2010, a video from the video channel selected inthe step 2008 may play on the screen of the first user's mobile phone.In embodiments, in addition to or as an alternative to the user's socialgraph, there may be one or more private or closed-network channels 2019that users may create and into which they may add their own videos.These private channels 2019 may be made available by invitation (andoptionally closed to uninvited users). For example, there may be achannel #UCLA where only students who attend the university receivepermission to view and participate video content within the channel,such as, in embodiments, via some combination of invitation, password,and location (such as by use of a geofence relating to a location of theuniversity).

In the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure, anSCCMC may also be a live look video. A live look video may allow asecond user to receive a live look at first user, when a first usersends an SCCMC or otherwise initiates a call to a second user. A livelook may allow the second user to immediately see the face of the firstuser upon receipt of the SCCMC from the first user or notification thatthe first user is calling the second user. The live look video may playon the screen of the device of the second user, such as the lock screen,home screen, or other screen. A live look video may be generated byinitiating a live video stream. A live video stream may be initiatedusing a live video stream generator. A live stream generator may be anapplication, such as Skype, Facetime, Periscope, or the like. A livevideo stream may also be recorded and sent as a series of small videosegments. A live look video may be viewed through the window that anSCCMC app has opened on the screen of a user's mobile phone.

Sending an SCCMC may include automatically recording a user's reactionto an SCCMC, as illustrated in FIG. 21. In a first step 2102, a firstuser may send an SCCMC to a second user. The second user may receive theSCCMC from the first user in a second step 2104. The mobile phone of thesecond user may record the reaction of the second user in a third step2018, such as by having the SCCMC include instructions to turn on thecamera of the recipient's phone facing in the direction of therecipient. At a fourth step 2110, the recipient's phone may turn on thecamera and record the reaction of the recipient. In embodiments, thesecond user may give permission to the second user's mobile phone torecord the reaction of the second user. Permission may be given by thesecond user to the second user's mobile phone to record the reaction ofthe second user prior to receipt of the SCCMC, upon receipt of theSCCMC, before the SCCMC begins to play and the like. In a step 2112, therecipient user may be offered options to process the reaction, such asbeing given an option to save, upload or share the second user'sreaction.

FIG. 22 shows an alternative embodiment of a flow for obtaining areaction to an SCCMC. After the sender sends the SCCMC in a step 2202,the recipient receives the SCCMC at a step 2204, and the recipient'sphone records the recipient's reaction at a step 2208, the recipient maybe given an option at a step 2210 to save, upload, or share thereaction, such as with the sender, with the social circle of therecipient, or otherwise, including the option to store the reaction asan SCCMC, such as in a library of SCCMC content.

FIG. 23 illustrates a flow in which the playing of an SCCMC may betriggered by a triggering event, such as entry of a recipient's mobiledevice into a location, such as defined by a geofence. At a step 2302,the location of the recipient's device may be detected at a location,such as defined by a geofence (or otherwise detected at a locationaccording to various location systems known to those of skill in the artof mobile telecommunications). The geofence may surround, by way ofexample, a point of interest, such as a location within a museum, park,or exhibit, a store or other location relevant to promotion or sale ofproducts or services, an educational location within a school, college,or university, or any other location for which there may be relevantcontent that may be presented via an SCCMC. Upon detection at the step2302, an SCCMC may be retrieved at a step 2304, such as from a libraryof SCCMCs. This may include retrieving content that is associated withthe location (such as content about a nearby museum exhibit or a nearbyproduct) and may include retrieving content relevant to the recipient(such as content relating to that recipient's preferences, as indicatedby selection of channels, by reactions to particular content, by therecipient's preferences as indicated by other data sources (such aspurchases, interactions with content, or the social graph of therecipient), or the like. An SCCMC may be retrieved based in part onwhether the recipient has visited the location before (information whichmay be stored by the host system or stored locally at the computinginfrastructure for a geofence), so that the SCCMC may be varied forrepeat visitors. The content server may retrieve an appropriate SCCMCand, at a step 2308, send it to the recipient's mobile device. Then theSCCMC may play on the device 2310 as described in connection withvarious embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

FIG. 24 illustrates a computer system, e.g., a computer system that maybe used in conjunction with the devices, systems, and methods describedherein. In general, the computer system 2400 may include a computingdevice 2410 connected to a network 2402, e.g., through an externaldevice 2404. The computing device 2410 may be or include any type ofclient or other network endpoint as described herein, e.g., a mobiledevice as described throughout this disclosure. The computing device2410 may also or instead be any device suitable for interacting withother devices over a network 2402, such as a laptop computer, a desktopcomputer, a personal digital assistant, a tablet, a mobile phone, atelevision, a set top box, a wearable computer, and the like. Thecomputing device 2410 may also or instead include a server such as anyof the servers described herein.

In certain aspects, the computing device 2410 may be implemented usinghardware (e.g., in a desktop computer), software (e.g., in a virtualmachine or the like) or a combination of software and hardware. Thecomputing device 2410 may be a standalone device, a device integratedinto another entity or device, a platform distributed across multipleentities, or a virtualized device executing in a virtualizationenvironment.

The network 2402 may include any network described above, e.g., datanetwork(s) or internetwork(s) suitable for communicating data andcontrol information among participants in the computer system 2400. Thismay include public networks such as the Internet, private networks, andtelecommunications networks such as the Public Switched TelephoneNetwork or cellular networks using third generation cellular technology(e.g., 3G™ or IMT-2000™), fourth generation cellular technology (e.g.,4G™, LTE™. MT-Advanced™, E-UTRA™, etc.) or WiMAX-Advanced™ (IEEE802.16m)) and/or other technologies, as well as any of a variety ofcorporate area, metropolitan area, campus or other local area networksor enterprise networks, along with any switches, routers, hubs,gateways, and the like that may be used to carry data among participantsin the computer system 2400. The network 2402 may also include acombination of data networks, and need not be limited to a strictlypublic or private network.

The external device 2404 may be any computer or other remote resourcethat connects to the computing device 2410 through the network 2402.This may include gateways or other network devices, remote servers orthe like containing content requested by the computing device 2410, anetwork storage device or resource, or any other resource or device thatmay connect to the computing device 2410 through the network 2402.

In general, the computing device 2410 may include a processor 2412, amemory 2414, a network interface 2416, a data store 2418, and one ormore input/output interfaces 2420. The computing device 2410 may furtherinclude or be in communication with peripherals 2422 and other externalinput/output devices that may connect to the input/output interfaces2420.

The processor 2412 may be any processor or other processing circuitrycapable of processing instructions for execution within the computingdevice 2410 or computer system 2400. The processor 2412 may include asingle-threaded processor, a multi-threaded processor, a multi-coreprocessor and so forth. The processor 2412 may be capable of processinginstructions stored in the memory 2414 or the data store 2418.

The memory 2414 may store information within the computing device 2410.The memory 2414 may include any volatile or non-volatile memory or othercomputer-readable medium, including without limitation a Random-AccessMemory (RAM), a flash memory, a Read Only Memory (ROM), a ProgrammableRead-only Memory (PROM), an Erasable PROM (EPROM), registers, and soforth. The memory 2414 may store program instructions, program data,executables, and other software and data useful for controllingoperation of the computing device 2410 and configuring the computingdevice 2410 to perform functions for a user. The memory 2414 may includea number of different stages and types of memory for different aspectsof operation of the computing device 2410. For example, a processor mayinclude on-board memory and/or cache for faster access to certain dataor instructions, and a separate, main memory or the like may be includedto expand memory capacity as desired. All such memory types may be apart of the memory 2414 as contemplated herein.

The memory 2414 may, in general, include a non-volatile computerreadable medium containing computer code that, when executed by thecomputing device 2410 creates an execution environment for a computerprogram in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, aprotocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or acombination of the foregoing, and/or code that performs some or all ofthe steps set forth in the various flow charts and other algorithmicdescriptions set forth herein. While a single memory 2414 is depicted,it will be understood that any number of memories may be usefullyincorporated into the computing device 2410. For example, a first memorymay provide non-volatile storage such as a disk drive for permanent orlong-term storage of files and code even when the computing device 2410is powered down. A second memory such as a random-access memory mayprovide volatile (but higher speed) memory for storing instructions anddata for executing processes. A third memory may be used to improveperformance by providing higher speed memory physically adjacent to theprocessor 2412 for registers, caching, and so forth.

The network interface 2416 may include any hardware and/or software forconnecting the computing device 2410 in a communicating relationshipwith other resources through the network 2402. This may include remoteresources accessible through the Internet, as well as local resourcesavailable using short range communications protocols using, e.g.,physical connections (e.g., Ethernet), radio frequency communications(e.g., WiFi), optical communications, (e.g., fiber optics, infrared, orthe like), ultrasonic communications, or any combination of these orother media that may be used to carry data between the computing device2410 and other devices. The network interface 2416 may, for example,include a router, a modem, a network card, an infrared transceiver, aradio frequency (RF) transceiver, a near field communications interface,a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag reader, or any other datareading or writing resource or the like.

More generally, the network interface 2416 may include any combinationof hardware and software suitable for coupling the components of thecomputing device 2410 to other computing or communications resources. Byway of example and not limitation, this may include electronics for awired or wireless Ethernet connection operating according to the IEEE802.11 standard (or any variation thereof), or any other short or longrange wireless networking components or the like. This may includehardware for short range data communications such as Bluetooth or aninfrared transceiver, which may be used to couple to other localdevices, or to connect to a local area network or the like that is inturn coupled to a data network 2402 such as the Internet. This may alsoor instead include hardware/software for a WiMAX connection or acellular network connection (using, e.g., CDMA, GSM, LTE, or any othersuitable protocol or combination of protocols). The network interface2416 may be included as part of the input/output devices 2420 orvice-versa.

The data store 2418 may be any internal memory store providing acomputer-readable medium such as a disk drive, an optical drive, amagnetic drive, a flash drive, or other device capable of providing massstorage for the computing device 2410. The data store 2418 may storecomputer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, andother data for the computing device 2410 or computer system 2400 in anon-volatile form for subsequent retrieval and use. For example, thedata store 2418 may store without limitation one or more of theoperating system, application programs, program data, databases, files,and other program modules or other software objects and the like.

The input/output interface 2420 may support input from and output toother devices that may couple to the computing device 2410. This may,for example, include serial ports (e.g., RS-232 ports), universal serialbus (USB) ports, optical ports, Ethernet ports, telephone ports, audiojacks, component audio/video inputs, HDMI ports, and so forth, any ofwhich may be used to form wired connections to other local devices. Thismay also or instead include an infrared interface, RF interface,magnetic card reader, or other input/output system for coupling in acommunicating relationship with other local devices. It will beunderstood that, while the network interface 2416 for networkcommunications is described separately from the input/output interface2420 for local device communications, these two interfaces may be thesame, or may share functionality, such as where a USB port is used toattach to a WiFi accessory, or where an Ethernet connection is used tocouple to a local network attached storage.

A peripheral 2422 may include any device used to provide information toor receive information from the computing device 2400. This may includehuman input/output (I/O) devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a mousepad, a track ball, a joystick, a microphone, a foot pedal, a camera, atouch screen, a scanner, or other device that may be employed by theuser 2430 to provide input to the computing device 2410. This may alsoor instead include a display, a speaker, a printer, a projector, aheadset or any other audiovisual device for presenting information to auser. The peripheral 2422 may also or instead include a digital signalprocessing device, an actuator, or other device to support control orcommunication to other devices or components. Other I/O devices suitablefor use as a peripheral 2422 include haptic devices, three-dimensionalrendering systems, augmented-reality displays, magnetic card readers,and so forth. In one aspect, the peripheral 2422 may serve as thenetwork interface 2416, such as with a USB device configured to providecommunications via short range (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, Infrared, RF, orthe like) or long range (e.g., cellular data or WiMAX) communicationsprotocols. In another aspect, the peripheral 2422 may provide a deviceto augment operation of the computing device 2410, such as a globalpositioning system (GPS) device, a security dongle, or the like. Inanother aspect, the peripheral may be a storage device such as a flashcard, USB drive, or other solid-state device, or an optical drive, amagnetic drive, a disk drive, or other device or combination of devicessuitable for bulk storage. More generally, any device or combination ofdevices suitable for use with the computing device 2400 may be used as aperipheral 2422 as contemplated herein.

Other hardware 2426 may be incorporated into the computing device 2400such as a co-processor, a digital signal processing system, a mathco-processor, a graphics engine, a video driver, and so forth. The otherhardware 2426 may also or instead include expanded input/output ports,extra memory, additional drives (e.g., a DVD drive or other accessory),and so forth.

A bus 2432 or combination of busses may serve as an electromechanicalplatform for interconnecting components of the computing device 2400such as the processor 2412, memory 2414, network interface 2416, otherhardware 2426, data store 2418, and input/output interface. As shown inthe figure, each of the components of the computing device 2410 may beinterconnected using a system bus 2432 or other communication mechanismfor communicating information.

Methods and systems described herein may be realized using the processor2412 of the computer system 2400 to execute one or more sequences ofinstructions contained in the memory 2414 to perform predeterminedtasks. In embodiments, the computing device 2400 may be deployed as anumber of parallel processors synchronized to execute code together forimproved performance, or the computing device 2400 may be realized in avirtualized environment where software on a hypervisor or othervirtualization management facility emulates components of the computingdevice 2400 as appropriate to reproduce some or all of the functions ofa hardware instantiation of the computing device 2400.

In one aspect, the computing device 2400 may be a mobile device such asthat described below.

FIG. 25 illustrates a mobile device. The mobile device 2500 may beconfigured for creating, sending, or receiving a SCCMC as describedherein. The mobile device 2500 may be, for example, any of the endpointsor other computing devices described above. The mobile device 2500 maybe, for example, a smart phone or a tablet. In general, the mobiledevice 2500 may include a display 2502 (e.g., a screen), acommunications interface 2504 configured to couple the mobile device2500 in a communicating relationship with a network, a processor 2506, amemory 2508, a camera 2510, a microphone 2512, a speaker 2514, and alocation tracking device 2516.

The communications interface 2504 may include hardware and software forcommunications using a variety of protocols such as a short-rangecommunications protocol (e.g., Bluetooth), a wireless communicationsprotocol (e.g., Wi-Fi, cellular network, and so on), and so forth. Thecommunications interface 2504 may couple the mobile device 2500 to acellular network or the like through a mobile carrier with which a userhas a billing account. The communications interface 2504 may also orinstead couple the mobile device 2500 to a data network through whichthe mobile device 2500 may access an online application store or thelike. The communications interface 2504 may also or instead couple themobile device 2500 to other mobile devices through a data network suchas any of the networks described herein.

In an aspect, the memory 2508 bears computer code that, when executingon the processor 2506, performs steps for creating, sending, receiving,editing, and so on, a SCCMC data structure or the like. The memory 2508may also or instead bear computer code that forms an application for themobile device 2500, e.g., execution by the processor 2506 on the mobiledevice 2500.

The display 2502 may include screen such as a touch screen or other userinterface for receiving user input as contemplated herein, e.g., for thecreation or editing of SCCMC. The display 2502 may also or insteaddisplay SCCMC for a user.

The camera 2510 may be used for capturing images or video for use in anSCCMC.

The microphone 2512 may be used for receiving a voice or audio signal asdescribed herein.

The speaker 2514 may be used for playing audio from an SCCMC for a user.The speaker 2514 may instead include an audio output on the mobiledevice 2500 such as a headphone jack or the like.

The location tracking device 2516 may be used to establish a locationfor the mobile device 2500, e.g., for proximity services as contemplatedherein. The location tracking device 2516 may include a GPS receiver orthe like.

In certain embodiments, the mobile device 2500 may be used to facilitatea user (such as a recipient) to establish a personal channel such asthat shown in FIG. 26. The personal channel may enable the user tochoose media content, such as video and image content, from the user'smobile device 2500 and designate it to be used for display on the user'smobile device 2500 when an incoming trigger occurs. The incoming triggermay be an incoming call, a text message, or the like from another mobiledevice. The user may import multiple files and organize them to play asa personal channel, either in a pre-defined order or in a randomizedorder.

FIG. 26 illustrates a screenshot of a user interface 2600 for enablingthe user to establish such a personal channel. The user interface 2600may be configured to allow the user to swipe or otherwise select thefeature of establishing the personal channel by accessing the SCCMC Appinstalled on the mobile device 2500. For example, the SCCMC App mayenable selecting a menu feature labeled “My Channel” 2602 from the userinterface 2600. On selecting the menu feature “My Channel” 2602, theuser may be able to choose the media content that the user may want touse as part of the personal channel. In some embodiments, the mediacontent may include the SCCMC that may be received from any other user,or content made or captured by the user (such as using a camera of theuser's mobile phone), or a video obtained from a social networkingserver, such as services hosting services similar to YouTube™,Snapchat™, Instagram™ or a user-generated video platform, or from anyother channels, without limitations. The media content selected by theuser may be added to the user's personal channel by using a userinterface element such as an action button labeled “PERSONAL” 2604 asdepicted in the user interface 2600 of FIG. 26.

In certain embodiments, the personal channel created by the user may notonly be played on the user's device but may also be configured to beshared with other users. In many examples, a user may curate videos orother media content into a channel, then share that channel with otherusers, including controlling playing of that channel as a series ofSCCMC media items on phones of various recipients of the shared channel.These channels may also be customized or configured for particular usersor groups of users by allowing the user to create a channel suitable fora particular friend or group of friends and containing user-generatedvideo content showing mutual friends or topics of mutual interest, orshowing video content that the user believes will be of particularinterest for the friend.

In embodiments, a channel shared with a friend or other user may includea wide range of media content, including an SCCMC received from otherusers, content made or captured by the user (such as using a camera ofthe user's mobile phone), content stored locally by other applications(such as social media applications), videos obtained from various socialsources such as YouTube™ or other user-generated video platforms, orfrom any other channel. The ability to configure, customize, and shareone or more channels may allow the SCCMC App to be used as aself-generated media creation and content distribution platform, wherethe user forms and orchestrates a wide range of experiences for friendsand other users that play on the lock-screens or other contact-initiatedelements of the friends' and other users' devices.

In many examples, the media content of the user's personal channel maybe enabled based on the identity of another user. For example, the usermay associate a video or any other media item with the name of a“friend” or a specific contact in the user's mobile device.

FIGS. 27 and 28 illustrate examples of screenshots of a user interface2700 for enabling a media content based on the identity of a user. Theuser interface 2700 may be enabled by the SCCMC App installed on theuser's mobile device. The user may open a contact list on the user'smobile phone, and a menu 2702 displayed on the user interface 2700 mayprovide options such as “Ask Friend”, “Upload”, “customize for contact”,and other options that may enable setting a media content from theuser's personal channel for a particular contact, based on the identityof the contact. For example, the user may set a custom video or channelfor an individual contact or friend by making appropriate selectionsfrom the user interface 2700.

In various embodiments, various kinds of media content, including SCCMCreceived from other users made or captured by the user such as by usinga camera of the user's mobile phone, videos obtained from varioussources, YouTube™ or other user-generated video platforms, or from anyother channel, may be set in the name of the friend. In someembodiments, the SCCMC App may enable the user to integrate the mobiledevice with user-generated social media applications or platforms usedby the user's mobile device, such as in cases where the user has othersocial networking applications such as Snapchat Instagram™, or the likeinstalled on the user's device. These social networking applications mayenable the user to save content to a local device so that when thecontent is created, it may be saved in a local folder associated witheach application. The SCCMC App may include a local storage monitoringcomponent that may monitor the local folder and make the content of thelocal folder available for selection as an SCCMC media item that may beplayed in a user channel, set as content associated with a friend, orthe like. This may be accomplished by importing the content into one ormore locations accessed by the SCCMC App, or by tagging the local folderso that the content may be imported or played when needed from the localfolder.

Once this setting is initiated, the selected or tagged content may beconfigured to play on the lock-screen of the user's phone when thefriend calls or upon other triggers, such as upon receiving a text oremail from the friend, independent of what channel the user may haveselected for incoming calls or other triggers that arrive from otherparties.

In embodiments, the user may select an option to “Ask Friend” 2704 (ormultiple friends), where the SCCMC App may enable a feature allowing auser to choose to have a friend set a media item, such as a video thatplays when the friend calls, such that the friend controls the mediacontent item. In many examples, the feature may be enabled such as whensetting custom content by the friend, as discussed in some of theprevious examples, that allow the user to set the video that plays whenthe friend contacts the user. Upon initiating this “Ask Friend” 2704feature, a message, such as a text message, may be initiated through theApp to the friend, automatically embedding a custom link to a websitewhere the friend may upload a media item, such as a video and the like.

In embodiments, the user may also be allowed to choose more than one ofthe contacts for selecting the “Ask Friend” 2704 feature from the userinterface 2700. The user interface 2700 may present a list of contactsor “friends” to the user and the user may select top friends by choosingan action button, such as the button 2704, for implementing the “AskFriend” 2704 option. In many examples, the top friends may includecontacts that are most frequently contacted by the user, such as bycalling or messaging. In other examples, other parameters may be used toclassify a list of contacts as the top friends of the user. When theuser clicks on the button 2704, the SCCMC App may enable initiatingsending a message, such as a text message, through the App to each ofthe top friends. Initiating the message may include automaticallyembedding a custom link to a website where each of the top friends mayupload a media item, such as a video.

FIG. 29 illustrates a screenshot of an exemplary user interface 2900that may enable the user, such as a friend contact of the sender, tocreate a video that may be played when the friend contact calls orinitiates any contact with the user. The video created by the friend maybe uploaded by the friend on the website and a link thereto may be sentto the friend, such as when the user selects a contact for the friendfrom the “Ask Friend” 2704 feature of the SCCMC App. The video may beone of a type of media item that may be used to set specific media typesfor specific contacts.

In embodiments, the media item may include the SCCMC received from otherusers, content made or captured by the friend or the user, such as usinga camera of the friend's or user's mobile phone, videos obtained fromvarious network sources such as YouTube™ or other user-generated videoplatforms, or from any other channels. In embodiments, the uploadwebpage by which the friend may set an item to play on the user's devicemay be configured to work with mobile and desktop browsers. When thefriend uploads a media item, a push notification may be automaticallydirected to the user's device, indicating that the content has beenuploaded. When the friend calls the user or optionally upon othertriggering contacts, such as text, chat, or email contacts, thefriend-uploaded media content item may play on the user's phone, such ason the lock-screen of the phone.

In embodiments, the user may use the “Ask Friend” 2704 feature to askvarious friends to upload or select media content, such that a varietyof different media content may be played based on different contacts,augmenting items that the user has set or selected for friends, or itemsthe user has generally selected for unknown inbound contacts.

The various embodiments as discussed herein may facilitate creating,editing, deployment, and managing of media content available in themobile phone or received from other devices or network sources and to beused as the SCCMC for establishing personalized experiences or forsharing among a group of friends and contacts for personalizedexperiences during any trigger events such text messaging, ring tones,and the like with the use of various menu options as enabled through theuser interfaces such as those illustrated in conjunction with FIGS.26-29.

In many examples, the SCCMC App may enable setting up media contentincluding SCCMC. The media content may include video content that mayinclude a contextual video message. FIG. 30 illustrates a flow chart ofa method 3000 for providing a setup of a contextual video messageincluded in SCCMC for an interaction between users.

As illustrated in FIG. 30, a User 1, such as the user of a sender mobilephone 102, may access a messaging facility at 3002. The user of thesender mobile phone 102 (FIG. 1) may be involved in a messaginginteraction with another user, a User 2, such as the user of a recipientmobile phone 104 (FIG. 1). The messaging interaction may use any of theavailable messaging facilities such as an SMS, a chat interaction, orany of a number of messaging applications such as WhatsApp?™, iMessage™,Snapchat™, Instagram™, Messenger, and the like available on both theusers' respective mobile devices. In embodiments, the app may host theentire communication exchange without relying on a third partyapplication. At 3004, the User 1 may enter some text on an inputinterface of the messaging facility of the User 1's mobile device andsend the text or other message to the User 2. The input interface of themessaging facility may be configured to receive at least text input. Inone example, the input from User 1 is limited to what may be keyed in ordictated text. The input interface of the messaging facility may also beconfigured to receive text, graphics, audio, video, and combinationsthereof including emojis and other graphics that may be inserted withthe input interface. The SCCMC App installed on the mobile device ofUser 1 may have access to the input entered on the input interface ofthe messaging facility. Similarly, the SCCMC App installed on the mobiledevice of User 2 may be configured to access the input received on theinput interface of the messaging facility on the User 2's mobile device.

At 3008, the input sent by the User 1 may be received at the messagingfacility of the User 2's mobile device. At 3010, the SCCMC App installedon the User 2's mobile device may be configured to take the inputreceived on the input interface of the messaging facility of the User2's mobile device and process the content of the input to determine themeaning of the text and to understand the context of the input. Inembodiments, the SCCMC App installed on the User 2's mobile device mayalso be configured to take the input received on the input interface ofthe messaging facility of the User 2's mobile device and process thecontent of the input to determine the meaning of the audio, video,graphics, emojis, and the like to understand the context of the input.The processing of the input may be enabled by the use of a high-levelprocessing facility including a natural language processing (NLP)facility that may include one or more algorithms or methodologies fordetermining the meaning of a body of text, such as the text received atthe input interface of the messaging facility of the mobile device ofUser 2. It will be appreciated in light of the disclosure that in someexamples one or more algorithms of the natural language processing (NLP)facility may be shown to perform more quickly when input is limited totext and other limited characters.

In embodiments, the natural language processing (NLP) facility may alsoinclude additional algorithms or methodologies for determining themeaning of a conversation in an audio or video clip. In many examples,the NLP facility may include an NLP processing module that may beconfigured to execute a series of instructions, such as in accordancewith the one or more algorithms and methodology to identify the meaningand/or context of the input. By way of these examples, the NLP facilitymay be configured to extract the words, phrases, emojis, geo-locationinformation and sensor-derived data from the text received at themessaging facility of the mobile device of User 2. In embodiments, theextracted information from the text may then be matched to a database ofcontent, such as a database stored in the memory unit 2414 of thecomputer system 2400 discussed earlier. In many examples, the NLPprocessing module may be a part of the processor 2412 of the computersystem 2400 discussed earlier. In further examples, the NLP processingmodule may be a part of the other hardware 2426 of the computer system2400.

At 3012, the meaning identified by the NLP processing module may be usedby the SCCMC App installed on the mobile device of User 2 to assignmedia content to the input received at the input of the messagingfacility of the User 2's mobile device. The media content data typesdiscussed earlier, such as a video clip or a video channel may beappropriately linked to the input message. In many examples, mediacontent may be selected from a curated library of the SCCMC-contenttypes such as that discussed earlier. At 3014, the assigned mediacontent may be displayed, in many embodiments, on the lock screen of themobile device of User 2. At 3018, the User 2 may then tap on his or herlock screen to send the reply to the User 1. In many examples, the User2 may send the reply directly from the lock screen of the User 2'smobile device without opening the input interface of the messagingfacility on his or her mobile device.

In many examples, the User 2's camera may be activated by default whilesending the reply to the User 1 and a picture or photo of the User 2 maybe associated with the reply sent from the User 2 to the User 1. Infurther examples, the User 2's microphone may be activated by defaultwhile sending the reply to the User 1 and an audio clip the User 2 maybe associated with the reply sent from the User 2 to the User 1.

In many examples, as the User 2 types a text for the reply message, somecontent may be automatically pulled from the database of content tomatch the keywords of text entered by the User 2. In embodiments, theUser 2 may use the content automatically pulled from the contentdatabase, or may alternately access the messaging facility to completethe text and then send the message. The message sent from the User 2 mayalso be processed in the same manner when received at the messagingfacility of the User 1 during the messaging interaction.

FIGS. 31A-31E illustrate an example of a messaging interaction betweenthe User 1 and the User 2 based on the contextual video message flowdiscussed in FIG. 30 in accordance with the many embodiments. FIG. 31Aillustrates a screenshot of a display interface 3100A of the User 2'smobile device when the User 2 receives a message with a text phrase,“Hungry? Meet for lunch?” from the User 1. The text phrase may bedisplayed on the User 2's mobile device along with an associated andmatching video or other content. The matching of the video or othercontent with the text phrase may be performed based on the content ofthe text phrase, as discussed in the flow of FIG. 30. For example, thevideo in FIG. 31A displays a hungry Homer Simpson cartoon character witha bulging and shaking stomach to indicate the emotion of hunger. In anexample, the video may be derived from the curated library ofSCCMC-content types of the SCCMC App. Similarly, FIG. 31B illustrates ascreenshot of the display screen 3100B of the User 2's mobile devicewhen a text message phrase, “So hungryyy! ! !”, is received at the User2's mobile device from the User 1. In embodiments, the text messagephrase may be displayed along with a matching video/photo of the sender,such as a photo of the User 1 taken from the camera of their mobiledevice at the time of sending the message and emoting a feeling ofhunger. In further examples, a screenshot of the display screen themobile device of User 2 may receive an audio message that says, “I'mhungry!” from the User 1 including with a matching video/photo. Inembodiments, a matching video/photo of the sender, such as a photo ofthe User 1 taken from the camera of their mobile device, may be sent atthe time of sending the message.

FIG. 31C illustrates a screenshot of the display screen 3100C of theUser 1 when a reply message is sent from the User 2 to the User 1, suchas on the lock screen of the user 1, and where the reply messagecontains the text phrase “Bennys@8 pm??.” The text phrase is associatedwith a matching content such as interactive information about therestaurant name mentioned in the text, namely “Bennys.” In embodiments,such information may be available even though the lock screen is inplace on the mobile device. In embodiments, the interactive informationmay include, for example, a map of the restaurant location, the ratingsfor the restaurant, the restaurant's brochure, directions, tips,reviews, and other contextual advertising information associated withthe restaurant name. In an example, the reply message may also orinstead include information about the type of food and the matchedcontent may be displayed accordingly. In many examples, a message thatcontains the phrase “want to get tacos?” may be augmented by a video oranimation showing tacos. The meaning assigned to the phrase mentioned inthe message may be based on a context as well as the content of othermessages. By way of the above example, the initial reference to gettingtacos may be used to help infer that a follow-on message proposing aname and time is a reference to a restaurant location where tacos areavailable. Further, the context of the message may be identified such asby using the user's history of interactions with other users, thehistory of use of the SCCMC App by the user or other users, thegeo-location of the user, user contact data (such as stored contacts),the profile of User 1 or User 2 (or both), and many others andcombinations thereof. Thus, the matching content for the text in themessage may be SCCMC media content that may be automatically associatedwith an item of media content may be relevant to both the content of themessage and the context of the message.

In many examples, the association of media content with text entered inthe input message may be performed by applying one or more machinelearning algorithms. In many examples, the machine learning algorithmand other methodologies may be used to interpret the body of text in theinput message and identify what type of media may be associated withwhat type of text input. In an example, the interpretation may be basedon feedback information entered into the machine learning algorithm suchas a feedback information gathered directly from the users regarding theextent of satisfaction with the content recommended by the SCCMC App.Apart from the feedback information gathered directly from the users,the feedback information may also or instead be derived based on somefeedback metrics associated with the SCCMC App. In many examples, thefeedback information may be derived based on a metric associated withthe use of the recommended content such as whether the user saves thecontent, shares the content, interacts with the content, and the like.The feedback information may be used to provide more relevant andrelatively effective media content in response to the text received inthe input message.

For example, FIG. 31D illustrates that a text entered by a user on theirlock screen 3100D may be automatically completed and matched with therelevant media content. The completed content is illustrated in thescreenshot of the display 3100E of FIG. 31E. In embodiments, the matchedand completed content on the display 3100E may be used directly from thelock screen by the user or alternatively, the user may override thecontent. In both the scenarios, the user feedback may be used to derivethe feedback information for the machine learning algorithm.

In embodiments, methods and systems described herein includingSCCMC-based structures such as the SCCMC app and the SCCMC mediacontent, may facilitate user access to or may serve as any of a varietyof mobile communication capabilities or applications on a user's mobiledevice, e.g., text messaging, video calling, audio calling, and the likeincluding use of various networking and transport protocols such asIP-based protocols, cellular networking protocols, or others. Inembodiments, the communication capabilities or applications may beaccessed directly from a user's lock screen, without requiring the userto unlock the phone or open the communication application. As such, userneed not unlock the mobile device to access the SCCMC app and its mediacontent. In embodiments, the methods and systems may interface with oneor more communication port features of a mobile device (such as ones forhandling incoming IP-based messaging, ones for handling notifications,ones for handling incoming cellular messages, and the like) toeffectively redirect information communicated to the mobile device thatis destined for the other communication capability or application to alock-screen capable application. In embodiments, the lock-screen capableapplication may operate independently of the locked or unlocked state ofa phone or other mobile device, such as when a device is locked, thescreen is blank, it displays its lock screen, or the like. Thelock-screen capable application may intercept information destined foror originating from a communication application (e.g., Snapchat™,Facebook Messenger™, iMessage™, WhatsApp™ and the like) or may serve inreplacement of such applications as it is received by a recipient mobiledevice. In embodiments, the recipient mobile device may include SCCMCdata structures that may perform contact media adapting functions priorto being sent from a sender mobile device including providing a userinterface that operates while a phone is in lock screen mode. The userinterface may include the lock screen capable application in order tofacilitate a user of the mobile device receiving and responding to acommunication associated with the intercepted information beforedelivery to the communication application, a communication associatedwith the intercepted information processed by the user interfacedirectly, or the like. In embodiments, the lock-screen capableapplication may display a wide range of content in response to theintercepted information, such as video content, animations, or a widerange of other types of content described throughout this disclosure. Inembodiments, the content may consist of a video. In embodiments, thevideo may be selected by the sender of the information. In embodiments,the video may be selected from a channel, where the video and/or thechannel may be selected based on the content of the interceptedinformation and/or the context of the information such as based on thetime of day, the location of the sender, the location of the recipient,the state of the recipient's device, or other factors. In embodiments,the lock-screen capable application may also interface with thetarget/source communication capability or application to facilitateend-to-end communication between the relevant communication capabilityor application on the sender mobile device and the recipient mobiledevice without the necessity for a third party communicationsapplications.

FIG. 32 depicts a diagram of a unified messaging platform 3200 asdescribed herein. In embodiments, a sender 3202, such as a mobile phoneor the like may communicate over an electronic medium, such as anIP-based network, cellular network and the like with a recipient 3204,such as a recipient mobile phone or the like using the methods describedherein. In embodiments, communication among one or more senders 3202 andone or more recipients 3204 may include a platform server 3206.Communication among one or more senders 3202 and one or more recipients3204 may include use of messaging services, such as native messagingservices 3210, 3212, messaging applications 3214, 3218,sender-controlled contact media content applications 3220, 3222,directly, and the like. Communication among one or more senders 3202 andone or more recipients 3204 may also include use of content associationservices 3224, 3228, A sender may use sender mobile phone 3202 orsimilar computing device configured with one or more capabilities and/orapplications, such as native messaging services 3210 that may facilitatecommunicating with other users, such as recipients, servers and thelike. In embodiments, the sender mobile phone 3202 may further beconfigured with messaging applications 3214, such as those mentioned anddescribed herein for facilitating communication of text, images, video,and other electronic content among senders and recipients. Inembodiments, the sender mobile phone 3202 may also be configured withone or more unified messaging applications or capabilities, such as asender-controlled contact media content application 3220 that may workcooperatively with (or in lieu of, partially or wholly) the nativemessaging services and/or messaging applications of the mobile device tofacilitate the sender-controlled contact media content control functionsand capabilities described herein.

In embodiments, these SCCMC features include performing natural languageprocessing (NLP) 3230, 3232 on a message prepared in any of themessaging applications including the SCCMC application 3220, 3222, andon content associated with an outgoing message as described herein. Inembodiments, other features of a sender 3202 may include one or sendermood sensing 3240, sender user state determination 3242, and the likethat may provide information to the SCCMC application 3220, and fromother SCCMC applications. In embodiments, the features, capabilities andthe like of a sender 3202 may be embodied as individual applications,local services available to an SCCMC application 3220, remote servicesaccessed through mood sensing and/or user state determination interfacecapabilities of the sender mobile device and the like. In embodiments,the mood sensing 3240 may also include mood determination capabilitiesby interfacing with mood determination services 3250 of the unifiedmessaging platform 3200, or may perform mood determination functionsdirectly or partially using the processing and storage capabilities of asender 3202 mobile phone and the like.

In embodiments, the platform server 3206 of unified messaging platform3200 depicted in FIG. 32 may interface through a network connection orthe like with at least the sender 3202 or the recipient 3204. Theunified messaging platform 3200 server 3206 may further provideservices, applications, and/or capabilities for unified messaging asdescribed herein including the mood determination 3250 for determining amood of a user of the unified messaging platform 3200 including thesender 3202 or the recipient 3204. In embodiments, the platform server3206 may also provide natural language processing 3252 services forprocessing messages composed on a sender device 3202 that may bedestined for or received on a recipient device 3204. In the manyexamples, the NLP services 3230, 3232 may be provided to any of theparticipants in the platform via the natural language processingcapability 3252 executing on the platform server 3206. The platformserver 3206 or other aspects of the platform 3200 may also providecapabilities such as machine learning via a machine learning capability3260. The platform server may further provide content associationservices 3262 via a content association capability executing at leastpartially using the computing and/or storage features of or accessibleto the platform server 3206.

In embodiments, the unified messaging platform 3200 may further includea media content library 3270 that may include or be associated withsender-controlled contact media content structures 3272. Participants onthe platform 3200 one more senders 3202 may be provided access to thecontent library 3270 over one or more networks and when applicable, viathe platform server 3206. Similarly, one or more recipients 3204 of theplatform 3200 may access the media content library 3200 via a network,through the server 3206, and the like. Features, functions, and servicesof a media content library including association and/or integration ofone or more SCCMC structures when applicable are further describedherein.

In embodiments, a unified messaging platform, such as platform 3200depicted in FIG. 32 includes recipient 3204 that maybe embodied as amobile device or the like. In the many examples, the recipient 3204 ofthe platform 3200 may include unified messaging capabilities that aresimilar to the sender 3202 capabilities, such as content associationservices via a content association module 3228, native messagingservices via a native messaging module 3212, messaging services viamessaging applications or services 3218, NLP services through a naturallanguage processing module 3232, and the like. In embodiments, therecipient 3204 may include or have access to other capabilities, such asa recipient SCCMC application 3280 that may include functionalitysimilar to a sender SCCMC application 3220 but also may be adapted towork cooperatively with native screen like services 3282, a lock-screencapable application 3284 and the like that may be embodied with and/oruse processing and/or storage resources of the recipient 3204 computingdevice. Capabilities of the recipient SCCMC application 3280, includingits cooperative operation with the lock-screen capable application 3284and or its optional integration with the lock-screen capable application3282 are described further herein.

In embodiments, the media content library 3270 may provide storage formedia content and optionally for SCCMC items or may by associated withSCCMC structures as described herein. FIG. 33 depicts embodiments of themedia content library 3300 that facilitate associating content itemswith media type, SCCMC references (if any), one or more channels (e.g.,topics of interest) and the like. The embodiments of FIG. 33 may alsoinclude an index for accessing items in a media content library 3270,SCCMC structures 3272, and the like.

FIG. 34 depicts embodiments of media content library 3402 that mayincorporate media content items 3404 and SCCMC content items and/orstructures 3406. As described herein for many of the embodiments, mediaitems and/or SCCMC content items or structures 3406 may be arranged intochannels, which may be based on topics of interest. In embodiments, anexemplary channel indicator 3408 for a set of SCCMC structures for asender 1 (SCCMC 1-x) may provide a mechanism by which a sender's SCCMCstructures may be accessed as a channel as described herein. In theembodiments of FIG. 34, a composite media content library 3402 may alsoprovide access to media content items as a media channel 3410.

In embodiments, FIG. 35 depicts an alternate configuration of a mediacontent library 3502 that may operate cooperatively with an SCCMCstructure library 3508 to provide the services and capabilities of aunified messaging platform and the like as described herein. In theembodiments of FIG. 35, the media content library 3502 and the SCCMClibrary 3508 may be accessed by various functional modules of theplatform, such as the sender SCCMC application 3220, the contentassociation capability 3220 and the recipient SCCMC application 3222. Inembodiments, each application or capability may determine theappropriate library to access based on the type of media being selectedand/or the function being performed. Channels as used herein mayconfigured for the SCCMC library 3508 and the media content library 3502such that the items in each library may be accessed via channelreference without requiring that each particular item be referenceddirectly.

The embodiments of FIG. 36 depict sender device elements 3600 of aunified messaging platform and flow of information among sender elements3600. Description of the sender elements may be made with reference toFIG. 32 with the exception of a communication interface 3606 and aunified messaging user interface 3604. In embodiments, the flow ofinformation among the elements may include one or more messagingapplications 3214 or services 3210 interfacing with a sender SCCMCapplication 3220. The messaging applications may send information to theSCCMC application 3220, such as text or other electronic content thatmay be composed or selected the sender using, for example functions ofthe messaging applications with or without using a user interface of themessaging applications. The sender through the unified messaging userinterface 3604 via the SCCMC application 3220 may access the functionsof the messaging applications. In embodiments, the SCCMC application3220 may access user state determination facility 3218 to determine astate of the user of the mobile phone and mood sensing facilitate 3212to determine a mood of the user. This user state and/or mood informationmay be used by the SCCMC application 3220 along with natural languageprocessing capabilities 3214 to operate a content association function3224 to associate an item of content from the media content library 3270and/or the SCCMC structure library 3272 with content of a message fromthe messaging services or applications. In embodiments, the SCCMCapplication 3220 may reconfigure the message with the item of contentand provide that to a communication interface 3606 of the sender device3602 where it may be communicated to a recipient computing device overan IP network or the like. In the many examples, the unified messaginguser interface 3604 may include features that facilitate the senderselecting among a plurality of content items that may be selectedthrough the content association operations described herein.

FIG. 37 depicts embodiments that are representative of a gallery ofcontent items 3700 that may be suitable for use with the one or moremessages being sent and received. In embodiments, a user (e.g., thesender) may operate the unified messaging user interface 3604 to selectone more content item manually. In further embodiments, a content itemmay be automatically selected and the message may be configured with theselected content item for delivery to a recipient. Whether manually,automatically, or combinations thereof, the content items 3700 arecandidate media content that may be accessed manually and/orautomatically.

FIG. 38 depicts exemplary operations of the methods and systems 3800 forcontent modification of an incoming message via interception by alock-screen capable application and processing thereof using the methodsand systems described herein to append, adapt, and/or replace a contentitem associated with the intercepted message. In embodiments, a messagethat may be received by the recipient 3802 may be intercepted by alock-screen capable application 3284 that may include or accessfunctions such as natural language processing 3232 and the contentassociation services 3228. In embodiments, the message that may bereceived by the recipient 3802 and intercepted by the lock-screencapable application 3284 may also interface with a recipient SCCMCapplication 3280 to determine a content item that may be automaticallyor manually selected from the media library 3270, the SCCMC structureslibrary 3272, or the like. In embodiments, the determined content itemmay be configured with the intercepted message and processed through therecipient SCCMC application 3280 (partially or wholly) or forwarded onto a corresponding messaging service or application. In embodiments, themodified message may be presented in a unified messaging user interface3604 that may be made accessible by the lock-screen capable application3284 without requiring that the lock state of the phone or connecteddevice to be changed. The recipient 3802 may use the unified messaginguser interface 3604 while the phone or connected device remains in anotherwise locked state to respond to the modified message. FIG. 39depicts exemplary embodiments of the unified messaging user interface3604 including a responsive modified message 3900 from the recipient3802 to the sender 3602 and/or others in accordance with the manyembodiments of the present disclosure.

In examples of a recipient mobile device using the methods and systemsdescribed herein, the lock-screen capable application on a recipientmobile phone, computing device, or the like may capture incomingmessages from a wide range of messaging clients (including, withoutlimitation WhatsApp™, Facebook Messenger™, default SMS/MMS messagingapps, and the like) and use processing capabilities including naturallanguage processing (NLP) capabilities to analyze an incoming message'scontent and pair it with a relevant item of content to display on thelock screen of the recipient's mobile device, such as a graphicsinterchange format item (a “GIF”), a video, or any other type of contentnoted throughout this disclosure. The paired content may then play onthe lock screen as part of, or in response to, the message notificationto the user. Continuing with this example, the lock-screen capableapplication may further allow users to respond to the messages they havereceived directly on the lock-screen, without having to unlock the phoneor open a separate messaging application. The user interface of thelock-screen capable application on the lock screen may include a “Tap toview” button that brings users into an interface panel in which the usermay begin creating a response. In embodiments, the phone may remainlocked for all other purposes, so that exiting the interface panelreturns the phone display to its lock screen.

By way of these examples, as the user enters text in the interfacepanel, one or more of at least three response modules may be activated.A plain text response module may be activated to facilitate user entryof a text response and interface with the messaging client, whenapplicable, to which the incoming message was intended. In embodiments,a GIF reply module may use natural language processing to automaticallymatch relevant GIFs (or other such image files) with a user's responsewhile it is being typed, such as based on association of a range of GIFs(or others) with keywords, topics, or the like in a table, database,library or the like that may be accessed to retrieve an appropriate GIF(or other image) based on derivation of the keyword or topic from thenatural language processing. The GIF module may also update theinterface panel with potentially relevant GIFs (or other images), suchas in a portion of the panel, while enabling the user to use a keyboardand also see what he or she is typing. Interface elements (such asswiping left or right, for example) may allow a user to select among thepotentially relevant GIFs and/or to bring up other automatically matchedGIFs (or other images). Alternatively, a gallery of GIFs (or otherimages) may be presented in a portion of the interface panel tofacilitate easier viewing and selection from a range of automaticallymatched GIFs (or other images). Swiping left or right, for example, maybring additional GIFs or the like into view. A video/photo module may beactivated to facilitate a user snapping a photo or video with a camera,such as a camera integrated into the phone, computing device, or thelike to which the user may access through his or her mobile deviceincluding a networked camera and the like. The video/photo module mayalso facilitate the user accessing his or her photo/video library,third-party photo/video libraries, complete SCCMC structures, SCCMCchannels, or image/photo/video content therein, and the like.

Independent of which module(s) are activated to facilitate the userresponding to the intercepted message, the response may be sent back tothe sender's point of origination, optionally through the same messagingclient, the SCCMC app, and the like that the originating message wastargeted for. Thus, the lock-screen capable application may includecapabilities for adapting outgoing communication such that it isappropriate for various channels of communication. The lock-screencapable application may also include capabilities for interfacing withand/or activating one or more communication capabilities or applicationsof the computing device, mobile phone, tablet, and the like withoutrelinquishing the locked state of the device. In examples, if a messagesent from a Snapchat™ client on a sender mobile device is intercepted bythe lock-screen capable application, once the user indicates that aresponse message (with or without audio, GIFs, photos, videos, or thelike) is ready to send, the lock-screen capable application maycommunicate with Snapchat™ application resident on the mobile device, ormay generate a Snapchat™-format response message within the lock-screencapable application, to deliver the response back to the correspondingSnapchat™ application on the sender's mobile phone, computing device,and the like. As noted, in the many embodiments the lock-screen capableapplication may emulate inter-device communication aspects of Snapchat™and communicate directly back to the sender's Snapchat™ application.After the user has completed entry and indicated that the preparedresponse should be sent, the user's display on his or her computingdevice, mobile device, tablet, and the like may return to the lockscreen.

In embodiments, the methods and systems described herein may includeconfiguring a library of audio, video, and image content for use whenprocessing messages and the like as described herein. The library mayinclude items, such as images that may be configured with attributesthat facilitate associating a library item with a message, such as atest message. In embodiments, configuring the attributes may be based onan understanding of messages that the lock-screen capable applicationmay process, such as text messages processed with natural languageprocessing to develop an understanding of a topic, a keyword, asentiment, or the like. In embodiments, attributes may represent aspectsof a message related to intent of messages, such as an emotion beingconveyed, and the like. Natural language processing of text and othermessages may result in attribute values and types that may be applied toitems in the library. In some examples, applying these attributes andattribute types may be done by a human who reviews the images. In manyof the embodiments, they may be applied automatically by a computerexecuting an algorithm or other methodologies that may determine aspectsof an image, such as a facial expression and the like as beingassociated with an emotion and the like. In embodiments, automateddetermination may be developed using machine learning such as bytraining a machine learning system using a training set of messages forwhich a human has assigned attributes. In examples, an image of a usersmiling may be associated with an attribute of a happy emotion. Anemotion attribute of such a library item may be populated with one ormore data elements representing an output of natural language processingof text strings that indicates a happy emotion meaning in the text.

In embodiments, methods and systems for creation, use, and maintenanceof media content structures include sender-controlled contact mediacontent (SCCMC) structures, and applications thereof and may furtherinclude adapting, configuring, or the like one or more media contentstructures that are accessible to a recipient computing device,computer, mobile device, and the like including those stored on thecomputing device of the recipient or provided by a server, and the like,during a contact event interaction between a sender computing device anda recipient device. A media content structure, such as a SCCMCstructure, that may be accessed in response to a recipient computingdevice receiving a message, such as a text message and the like from asender computing device may include or reference one or more dataelements, such as an image, video, audio, text content and the like. Inembodiments, prior to presenting the media content structure, such ascontent associated with the sender of the message to the recipient, oneor more of the data elements may be adapted, configured, or replaced byanother data element based on information derived from the sender'scomputing device. The data element, such as an image may be adapted orreplaced by another image to reflect a mood or emotion of the sender. Inexamples, an SCCMC for a sender may include an image of the sender witha pleasant smile. In other examples, however, the sender may be underthe weather, such as due to the common cold, or the like, at the timethat the sender sends the message to the recipient. Based on informationindicative of the sender's state, the pleasant smile image may bechanged to an image that reflects the recipient's state. The replacementimage may come from a portion of a SCCMC structure, from another SCCMCstructure of the sender, from a third-party source, from the sender'scomputing device, and the like. Information about the sender's currentmood, emotional state, health status, and the like may be sent alongwith the message from the sender's computing device to the recipient'scomputing device. In embodiments, the lock-screen capable application onthe recipient's computing device may include a SCCMC application on therecipient's computing device that may process the message andaccompanying information to determine what aspects of the SCCMC to adaptprior to presenting a SCCMC item that corresponds to one or moreattributes of the sender.

In embodiments, a sender may use a SCCMC messaging application to createa message that may include information about his or her current mood andthe like. The SCCMC application may provide a user interface withfeatures that enable the user to designate his or her mood.Alternatively, a mood determining system, operating on the sendercomputing device, the recipient computing device, or in a remotelocation (such as in the cloud) may rely on technologies that facilitatedetecting the sender's mood, such as facial recognition, speechrecognition, degree of distraction of the sender, and the like. The mooddetermining system operating on the sender computing device or in aremote location (such as in the cloud) may rely on technologies thatfacilitate detecting the sender's mood contemporaneously with the sendersending a message from the sender's computing device to the recipient'scomputing device. The mood determining system may interact with oroperate as part of an SCCMC application, a lock-screen capableapplication, or a combination thereof to provide mood information, whichin turn may be used as an attribute, such as for selection ofappropriate media content structures, such as SCCMC media structures orother media structures, such as selecting a GIF or other image or videothat reflects or is consistent with the mood of the sender.

In embodiments, the lock-screen capable application is a SCCMC-basedapplication and may be part of a platform that may intercept messagesoriginated on a sender's computing device prior to the messages beingdelivered to recipient's computing device, including messages preparedin other messaging applications as described herein. In embodiments, theplatform may process the intercepted messages, including processing themessages while they are being input by the sender on the sender'scomputing device independent of which messaging application the senderis using (or none at all), to offer services of the platform to thesender prior to facilitating delivery of the message to one or morerecipients. In embodiments, services offered may include inclusion of animage, GIF, video, audio, alternate text and the like. Services offeredmay be customized for the sender based on information known to theplatform about the sender, such as the sender's level of activity withthe computing device, sender's mood, sender's preferences, and the like.The services offered may be further customized through natural languageprocessing of text portions of the intercepted message and may includesuggestions for gifs, images, video, audio, text and the like to beincluded with or integrated into the message and the like. The platformmay, automatically or in response to a sender's acceptance of one ormore offered services, prepare and/or update a content media structure,such as a SCCMC structure of the sender, to transmit to the one or morerecipients as part of the contact event interaction. As an example, anupdated SCCMC structure or a portion thereof may be sent to acorresponding SCCMC application on the one or more recipient computingdevices ahead of the message to enable use of the updated SCCMCstructure by a recipient's computing device when processing theaccompanying message.

In further embodiments of a platform, a state determining system, suchas operating with or as part of an SCCMC application or the likeoperating on a sender's computing device, may be provided with or maydetect a current mood, emotional state, health state and the like of thesender and responsively prepare or update a media content structure,such as an SCCMC structure, that may be provided to potentialrecipients, such as currently active users of a group of which thesender is a member. Alternatively, the updated media content structuremay be provided to a platform server that may store the media contentstructure, such as storing it as a SCCMC, such as for use whenfacilitating message delivery during a contact event interaction.Methods and systems for updating SCCMC structures on recipient computingdevices that are described herein may be employed to update the variousrecipient devices.

In embodiments, a contact event handling platform is provided thatintercepts messages originating on the sender computing device frommessaging capabilities or applications operable on a sender's computingdevice, that processes intercepted messages with natural languageprocessing and, based thereon, forwards the message with an appropriatemedia content structure, such as an SCCMC structure, based on theprocessing, and/or a result of the natural language processing. Inembodiments, the contact event handling platform includes a lock-screencapable application that provides a unified messaging user interface fora recipient computing device, such as while the recipient computingmobile device is in lock-screen mode, while also delivering anadaptation of the intercepted message, such as based on the processingthat is compatible with the other messaging applications to the targetedother messaging applications.

In embodiments, the contact event handling platform may intercept, on arecipient computing device, messages destined for other messagingapplications operable on the recipient's computing device. The platformmay process the intercepted message with natural language processing andbased thereon may forward the message, and/or media content structure,such as an SCCMC structure, based on the processing, and/or a result ofthe natural language processing to be processed in a unified messaginguser interface of the recipient computing device, such as while therecipient computing device is in lock-screen mode, while also deliveringan adaptation of the intercepted message based on the processing that iscompatible with the other messaging applications to the targeted othermessaging applications on the recipient computing device.

In embodiments, a lock-screen capable application may facilitateinteracting with a user via user's computing device display while theuser's computing device is locked (e.g., conventionally only thelock-screen may be presented on a mobile device display when the user'sdevice is locked). The lock-screen capable application may, however,facilitate interacting with a user via a user's lock screen orfacilitate interacting with the user on a screen other than the user'smobile device screen, such as a nearby screen on a TV, a screendesignated by the user, a default screen, and the like. In embodiments,the user may interact with the lock-screen capable application via theother screen at least using the user interaction capabilities associatedwith the other screen, such as a touch screen, a touch pad, voiceactivation, keyboard, and the like. In this way, whether or not a user'scomputing device may be in lock screen mode, the lock-screen capableapplication may provide the user with a way to view and respond to amessage being processed through the lock-screen capable application.

In embodiments, a lock-screen capable application as described hereinmay connect to, be associated with, or be integrated with augmentedreality and/or virtual reality (AR/VR) user interfaces. The lock-screencapable application may provide information, such as images, audio,video, text and the like to the AR/VR user interfaces that enablepresentation of a message in the interface. The information may be basedon or include at least a portion of an SCCMC that is controlled by asender of the message. As an example, an SCCMC application operating onor communicating with a computing device in control of the AR/VR userinterface may receive, such as by intercepting a message for anothermessaging platform as noted herein, a message that it processes toaccess a corresponding SCCMC structure. In embodiments, the informationin the structure may include media content, such as images, audio,video, and the like that may be provided to the AR/VR user interface forintegration with the AR/VR user interface presentation. In embodiments,the AR/VR user interface may incorporate active elements, such asavatars and the like that may be deployed in the AR/VR user interface inresponse to receiving the message information from the SCCMCapplication.

While only a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that manychanges and modifications may be made thereunto without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present disclosure as described in thefollowing claims. All patent applications and patents, both foreign anddomestic, and all other publications referenced herein are incorporatedherein in their entireties to the full extent permitted by law.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or inwhole through a machine that executes computer software, program codes,and/or instructions on a processor. The present disclosure may beimplemented as a method on the machine, as a system or apparatus as partof or in relation to the machine, or as a computer program productembodied in a computer readable medium executing on one or more of themachines. In embodiments, the processor may be part of a server, cloudserver, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing platform,stationary computing platform, or other computing platform. A processormay be any kind of computational or processing device capable ofexecuting program instructions, codes, binary instructions and the like.The processor may be or may include a signal processor, digitalprocessor, embedded processor, microprocessor or any variant such as aco-processor (math co-processor, graphic co-processor, communicationco-processor and the like) and the like that may directly or indirectlyfacilitate execution of program code or program instructions storedthereon. In addition, the processor may enable execution of multipleprograms, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed simultaneouslyto enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitatesimultaneous operations of the application. By way of implementation,methods, program codes, program instructions and the like describedherein may be implemented in one or more threads. The thread may spawnother threads that may have assigned priorities associated with them;the processor may execute these threads based on priority or any otherorder based on instructions provided in the program code. The processor,or any machine utilizing one, may include non-transitory memory thatstores methods, codes, instructions and programs as described herein andelsewhere. The processor may access a non-transitory storage mediumthrough an interface that may store methods, codes, and instructions asdescribed herein and elsewhere. The storage medium associated with theprocessor for storing methods, programs, codes, program instructions orother type of instructions capable of being executed by the computing orprocessing device may include but may not be limited to one or more of aCD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk, flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache and thelike.

A processor may include one or more cores that may enhance speed andperformance of a multiprocessor. In embodiments, the process may be adual core processor, quad core processors, other chip-levelmultiprocessor and the like that combine two or more independent cores(called a die).

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or inwhole through a machine that executes computer software on a server,client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such computer and/ornetworking hardware. The software program may be associated with aserver that may include a file server, print server, domain server,internet server, intranet server, cloud server, and other variants suchas secondary server, host server, distributed server and the like. Theserver may include one or more of memories, processors, computerreadable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual),communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing otherservers, clients, machines, and devices through a wired or a wirelessmedium, and the like. The methods, programs, or codes as describedherein and elsewhere may be executed by the server. In addition, otherdevices required for execution of methods as described in thisapplication may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associatedwith the server.

The server may provide an interface to other devices including, withoutlimitation, clients, other servers, printers, database servers, printservers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers,social networks, and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/orconnection may facilitate remote execution of program across thenetwork. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitateparallel processing of a program or method at one or more locationwithout deviating from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, any ofthe devices attached to the server through an interface may include atleast one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, codeand/or instructions. A central repository may provide programinstructions to be executed on different devices. In thisimplementation, the remote repository may act as a storage medium forprogram code, instructions, and programs.

The software program may be associated with a client that may include afile client, print client, domain client, internet client, intranetclient and other variants such as secondary client, host client,distributed client and the like. The client may include one or more ofmemories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports(physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable ofaccessing other clients, servers, machines, and devices through a wiredor a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs, or codes asdescribed herein and elsewhere may be executed by the client. Inaddition, other devices required for execution of methods as describedin this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructureassociated with the client.

The client may provide an interface to other devices including, withoutlimitation, servers, other clients, printers, database servers, printservers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers andthe like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitateremote execution of program across the network. The networking of someor all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a programor method at one or more location without deviating from the scope ofthe disclosure. In addition, any of the devices attached to the clientthrough an interface may include at least one storage medium capable ofstoring methods, programs, applications, code and/or instructions. Acentral repository may provide program instructions to be executed ondifferent devices. In this implementation, the remote repository may actas a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or inwhole through network infrastructures. The network infrastructure mayinclude elements such as computing devices, servers, routers, hubs,firewalls, clients, personal computers, communication devices, routingdevices and other active and passive devices, modules and/or componentsas known in the art. The computing and/or non-computing device(s)associated with the network infrastructure may include, apart from othercomponents, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM,ROM and the like. The processes, methods, program codes, instructionsdescribed herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or more of thenetwork infrastructural elements. The methods and systems describedherein may be adapted for use with any kind of private, community, orhybrid cloud computing network or cloud computing environment, includingthose which involve features of software as a service (SaaS), platformas a service (PaaS), and/or infrastructure as a service (IaaS).

The methods, program codes, and instructions described herein andelsewhere may be implemented on a cellular network having multiplecells. The cellular network may either be frequency division multipleaccess (FDMA) network or code division multiple access (CDMA) network.The cellular network may include mobile devices, cell sites, basestations, repeaters, antennas, towers, and the like. The cell networkmay be a GSM, GPRS, 3G, EVDO, mesh, or other networks types.

The methods, program codes, and instructions described herein andelsewhere may be implemented on or through mobile devices. The mobiledevices may include navigation devices, cell phones, mobile phones,mobile personal digital assistants, laptops, palmtops, netbooks, pagers,electronic books readers, music players and the like. These devices mayinclude, apart from other components, a storage medium such as a flashmemory, buffer, RAM, ROM and one or more computing devices. Thecomputing devices associated with mobile devices may be enabled toexecute program codes, methods, and instructions stored thereon.Alternatively, the mobile devices may be configured to executeinstructions in collaboration with other devices. The mobile devices maycommunicate with base stations interfaced with servers and configured toexecute program codes. The mobile devices may communicate on apeer-to-peer network, mesh network, or other communications network. Theprogram code may be stored on the storage medium associated with theserver and executed by a computing device embedded within the server.The base station may include a computing device and a storage medium.The storage device may store program codes and instructions executed bythe computing devices associated with the base station.

The computer software, program codes, and/or instructions may be storedand/or accessed on machine readable media that may include: computercomponents, devices, and recording media that retain digital data usedfor computing for some interval of time; semiconductor storage known asrandom access memory (RAM); mass storage typically for more permanentstorage, such as optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like harddisks, tapes, drums, cards and other types; processor registers, cachememory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage such asCD, DVD; removable media such as flash memory (e.g. USB sticks or keys),floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, standalone RAMdisks, Zip drives, removable mass storage, off-line, and the like; othercomputer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory, read/writestorage, mutable storage, read only, random access, sequential access,location addressable, file addressable, content addressable, networkattached storage, storage area network, bar codes, magnetic ink, and thelike.

The methods and systems described herein may transform physical and/oror intangible items from one state to another. The methods and systemsdescribed herein may also transform data representing physical and/orintangible items from one state to another.

The elements described and depicted herein, including in flow charts andblock diagrams throughout the figures, imply logical boundaries betweenthe elements. However, according to software or hardware engineeringpractices, the depicted elements and the functions thereof may beimplemented on machines through computer executable media having aprocessor capable of executing program instructions stored thereon as amonolithic software structure, as standalone software modules, or asmodules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, orany combination of these, and all such implementations may be within thescope of the present disclosure. Examples of such machines may include,but may not be limited to, personal digital assistants, laptops,personal computers, mobile phones, other handheld computing devices,medical equipment, wired or wireless communication devices, transducers,chips, calculators, satellites, tablet PCs, electronic books, gadgets,electronic devices, devices having artificial intelligence, computingdevices, networking equipment, servers, routers and the like.Furthermore, the elements depicted in the flow chart and block diagramsor any other logical component may be implemented on a machine capableof executing program instructions. Thus, while the foregoing drawingsand descriptions set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems,no particular arrangement of software for implementing these functionalaspects should be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitlystated or otherwise clear from the context. Similarly, it will beappreciated that the various steps identified and described above may bevaried, and that the order of steps may be adapted to particularapplications of the techniques disclosed herein. All such variations andmodifications are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.As such, the depiction and/or description of an order for various stepsshould not be understood to require a particular order of execution forthose steps, unless required by a particular application, or explicitlystated or otherwise clear from the context.

The methods and/or processes described above, and steps associatedtherewith, may be realized in hardware, software or any combination ofhardware and software suitable for a particular application. Thehardware may include a general-purpose computer and/or dedicatedcomputing device or specific computing device or particular aspect orcomponent of a specific computing device. The processes may be realizedin one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embeddedmicrocontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or otherprogrammable device, along with internal and/or external memory. Theprocesses may also, or instead, be embodied in an application specificintegrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic,or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured toprocess electronic signals. It will further be appreciated that one ormore of the processes may be realized as a computer executable codecapable of being executed on a machine-readable medium.

The computer executable code may be created using a structuredprogramming language such as C, an object oriented programming languagesuch as C++, or any other high-level or low-level programming language(including assembly languages, hardware description languages, anddatabase programming languages and technologies) that may be stored,compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well asheterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, orcombinations of different hardware and software, or any other machinecapable of executing program instructions.

Thus, in one aspect, methods described above and combinations thereofmay be embodied in computer executable code that, when executing on oneor more computing devices, performs the steps thereof. In anotheraspect, the methods may be embodied in systems that perform the stepsthereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, orall of the functionality may be integrated into a dedicated, standalonedevice or other hardware. In another aspect, the means for performingthe steps associated with the processes described above may include anyof the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutationsand combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

The method steps of the implementations described herein are intended toinclude any suitable method of causing such method steps to beperformed, consistent with the patentability of the following claims,unless a different meaning is expressly provided or otherwise clear fromthe context. So, for example performing the step of X includes anysuitable method for causing another party such as a remote user, aremote processing resource (e.g., a server or cloud computer) or amachine to perform the step of X. Similarly, performing steps X, Y and Zmay include any method of directing or controlling any combination ofsuch other individuals or resources to perform steps X, Y and Z toobtain the benefit of such steps. Thus, method steps of theimplementations described herein are intended to include any suitablemethod of causing one or more other parties or entities to perform thesteps, consistent with the patentability of the following claims, unlessa different meaning is expressly provided or otherwise clear from thecontext. Such parties or entities need not be under the direction orcontrol of any other party or entity, and need not be located within aparticular jurisdiction.

While the disclosure has been disclosed in connection with the preferredembodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications andimprovements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled inthe art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present disclosure isnot to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is to be understood inthe broadest sense allowable by law.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the disclosure (especially in the context of thefollowing claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and theplural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted bycontext. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing”are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, butnot limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of valuesherein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referringindividually to each separate value falling within the range, unlessotherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated intothe specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methodsdescribed herein may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwiseindicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The useof any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”)provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the disclosureand does not pose a limitation on the scope of the disclosure unlessotherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construedas indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice ofthe disclosure.

While the foregoing written description enables one of ordinary skill tomake and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof,those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence ofvariations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment,method, and examples herein. The disclosure should therefore not belimited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but byall embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of thedisclosure. All documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated byreference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a lock-screen capableapplication executing on a recipient computing device, the lock-screencapable application is configured to facilitate user interface access toa communication function of the recipient computing device while therecipient computing device remains in a locked state, wherein thelock-screen capable application is configured to intercept acommunication received by the recipient computing device, and whereinthe intercepted communication is associated with at least one of acommunication application or a communication service operable on therecipient computing device; and a content association applicationexecuting on the recipient computing device, wherein the contentassociation application is configured to facilitate processing contentof the intercepted communication to determine a meaning and a context ofthe intercepted communication, and to facilitate associating a mediacontent item with the intercepted communication based on a relevance ofthe media content item with the meaning and the context of theintercepted communication, wherein the relevance is determined from anassociation based on metadata descriptive of media content items storedin a library of the media content items.
 2. The system of claim 1wherein the associating of the media content item is performedautomatically by the content association application in response todetecting an indication of the intercepted communication.
 3. The systemof claim 2 wherein the content association application is configured toassociate at least one of a GIF and a video with the interceptedcommunication.
 4. The system of claim 2 wherein the processingautomatically of the intercepted communication to identify theassociation includes automatically determining an emotional state of theintercepted communication and automatically associating at least one ofthe media content items in response to the automatically determinedemotional state.
 5. The system of claim 2 wherein the processingautomatically of the intercepted communication to identify theassociation includes determining a context of the interceptedcommunication and associating at least one of the media content items inresponse to the determined context.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein theintercepted communication includes text.
 7. The system of claim 6wherein processing content of the intercepted communication includesnatural language processing of the text to determine the meaning and thecontext of the intercepted communication.
 8. The system of claim 7wherein processing content of the intercepted communication includesextracting one or more of words, phrases, emojis, geo-locationinformation, and sensor-derived data from the text to determine themeaning and the context of the intercepted communication.
 9. The systemof claim 1 wherein the intercepted communication includes one or more ofan audio clip and a video clip.
 10. The system of claim 9 furthercomprising a processing module that determines the meaning and thecontext of one or more of the audio clip and the video clip.
 11. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein processing content of the interceptedcommunication includes matching extracted information from theintercepted communication to a database of content to determine themeaning and the context of the intercepted communication.
 12. The systemof claim 11 further comprising a memory storing the database of content.13. The system of claim 1 wherein the lock-screen capable applicationand the content association application are hosted by a singleapplication on the recipient computing device.
 14. The system of claim13 wherein the single application also hosts at least one of thecommunication application or the communication service operable on therecipient computing device from which the intercepted communication isassociated.